Press Information
UGS “Katharina” in Peißen near Bernburg is officially opened on May 23, 2017
Bernburg, May 23, 2017
The “Katharina” underground gas storage (UGS) in Peißen, near Stadt Bernburg (Salzland district) in Saxony-Anhalt, was officially opened on 23.05.2017. The name of the UGS re- minds on the Russian empress Ekatherina II the Great, who was born as Sophie Auguste Friederike Princess of Anhalt-Zerbst on the 2nd of May 1729. The Festive Opening ceremony of the UGS Katharina was attended by more than 100 guests including: Dr. Reiner Haseloff, the Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; Mr. Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Management Committee of PAO “Gazprom” (Moscow, Russia); Mr. Ulf Heitmüller, Chairman of the Executive Board of VNG AG, Leipzig; Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer, former Federal Minister, Patron of the German-Russian Raw Materials Forum; Other representatives of political and business circles. “Despite the difficult economic environment, the construction of the “Katharina” underground storage facility was an important step. Together with Gazprom, we are contributing to the se- curity of natural gas supplies to consumers and industrial companies in Germany and Eu- rope. Only with natural gas in the energy mix can we succeed in achieving Germany’s and Europe’s ambitious climate protection targets. Russian natural gas and our outstanding part- nership with Gazprom will remain a cornerstone of these efforts in the future,” said Mr. Ulf Heitmüller. In this context, Mr. Alexander Medvedev added: “The implementation of the UGS Katharina project is an important event for all of us – especially for the representatives of the gas indus- try and for German consumers. This is for these consumers that German and Russian gas companies are working hand-in-hand. Today we are not only opening another modern gas storage facility. We are taking a further key step in strengthening the security of supplies of this environmentally compatible fossil fuel in Germany and the entire European market.” The operation of UGS Katharina already started on 01.10.2011 with two caverns and using system components of the neighboring storage facility of VNG Gasspeicher GmbH. Com- mercial operation of the new own surface facilities with connected six caverns started on 01.04.2017. Six further underground gas caverns are to be completed by 2024. They will have a total working gas volume of about 613 mill. m3 (0°C). UGS Katharina is characterized especially by its central position within the European gas grid and its high daily withdrawal capacity. The storage is connected to the JAGAL gas pipe- line, which forms part of the European natural gas grid, via a connection pipeline with a length of about 37 km. Dr. Volker Busack, Managing Director of Erdgasspeicher Peissen GmbH until 31.05.2017, commented: “We completed the “Katharina” underground storage facility in accordance to
schedule and within our financial targets. We were able to start regular operation on 01.04.2017. Completion to schedule and to target can by no means be taken for granted in the case of such a demanding major project and we take a certain pride in this achievement.” The development of UGS Katharina is a joint German-Russian energy infrastructure project with the participation of the following German and Russian companies: VNG AG (Leipzig, Germany), VNG Gasspeicher GmbH (Leipzig, Germany), Gazprom export LLC (St. Peters- burg, Russia) and GAZPROM Germania GmbH (Berlin, Germany).
Erdgasspeicher Peissen GmbH
On May 19, 2009 Gazprom export LLC, GAZPROM Germania GmbH and VNG AG jointly created the Consortium for the construction and operations of UGS Katharina. On the same day the project and operating company Erdgasspeicher Peissen GmbH was created as a joint venture of VNG Gasspeicher GmbH und Gazprom export LLC. The new storage facility will increase the security of natural gas supply to European customers.
More information: www.ugs-katharina.de