ENERGY SECURITY OF SUPPLY IN LITHUANIA - PCI

The project concerns the financing of the gas interconnection between Poland and Lithuania. The objective of the project is to integrate the Baltic States gas market into the larger EU gas market and diversify gas supply sources. The project will also increase the security and reliability of gas supplies.

As the first high-pressure gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Poland, the project is aimed at improving energy security throughout the Eastern Baltic region by diversifying options for gas flows, integrating the region with the EU natural gas markets, and increasing market liquidity and competition in the region. The project therefore addresses important challenges specific to this vulnerable region regarding gas supply, namely through energy security of supply and market integration and liberalisation.

Based on their technical characteristics and the criteria and thresholds defined in EU legislation, both the Lithuanian and Polish sections of the Gas Interconnection Poland-Lithuania (GIPL) project would fall under Annex II of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2014/52/EU amending the EIA Directive 2011/92/EU. The screening procedure resulted in the requirement of a full EIA to be processed on both sides of the PL-LT border, after which the environmental permits were issued by the competent authorities of each country. The EIB will be financing only the Lithuanian side of the GIPL Project. Cumulative impact assessments were carried out in both countries, as well as a transboundary environmental impact assessment, with no particular issues raised as a result of these procedures. The environmental and social aspects will be assessed as part of the project appraisal.

The Bank will require the Promoter to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the Project will be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directive 2014/25/EU where applicable, as well as Directive 92/13/EEC as amended by Directive 2007/66/EC), as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the EU, with the publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the EU, as and where required.