Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage – 50 years experience in storage of natural gas

On 9 August 2018 one of the most considerable energy infrastructure objects in Latvia - Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage – turns 50. Thanks to important investments and high professionalism of company’s experts, Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage has become one of the most modern in Europe in terms of technology and environment protection.

Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage started the operation on 8 August 1968 and already on 9 August the first volume of natural gas was injected. During this period, the storage has become one of the most important objects in the Baltics, ensuring the stability of regional gas supply and energy security of the region. During these fifty years, in total 66 milliards m3 of natural gas were injected in Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage.

Zane Kotāne, Chairperson of the Board of JSC Conexus Baltic Grid states that one of company’s priorities is the security.

“From 2003 to 2017 company’s total investment amount has reached 160 Mio. EUR. These investments are made with the aim to promote the sustainability, modernization and security of Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage. It must be stated that all that is accomplished during the past 50 years was not possible without our team and employees. I’d like to thank out colleagues for the invested work and initiative in the development of the company,” said Z. Kotāne.

During the last 14 years, Inčukalns has implemented ten different scale projects within the framework of which production units were reconstructed and building renovated, and different objects constructed. But in 2019 it is planned to complete the reconstruction of the gas collection point No. 2.

Z. Kotāne: “Investments are made with a view to the future, promoting the total contribution in the economy of Latvia. This is why we participate actively in the capacity strengthening project of gas interconnection Poland – Lithuania (GIPL) and Estonia – Finland gas pipe “Baltic Connector” appropriate Latvia-Lithuania interconnection. The aim of these international projects is to create a physically united European gas infrastructure this increasing the energy independence. Through implementation of the projects, Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage is integrated more and more in the unified energy market of European Union.”