On March 13, 2014, the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia adopted a resolution on a gradual liberalization of the Latvian natural gas market until April 3, 2017, which is the expiry date of the terms of privatization of JSC “Latvijas Gāze”. The terms of privatization ensured the integrity and market exclusivity of JSC “Latvijas Gāze” for 20 years since its privatization in 1997.
The key steps of liberalization stipulate: third-party access to the natural gas distribution, transmission, liquefied natural gas systems and the gas storage facility as of April 4, 2014; the unbundling of distribution operator on April 3, 2017; the unbundling of transmission operator and the rights for users to choose trader on April 3, 2017 or sooner if the Latvian natural gas system is directly connected to the natural gas system of any European Union Member State other than Estonia, Lithuania and Finland or the dominant supplier covers less than 75% of the total natural gas consumption in Latvia.
JSC Latvijas Gāze is the only natural-gas transmission, storage, distribution, and sales operator in Latvia. The company ensures the supply of natural gas to 443,000 customers in Latvia; during heating season, the company also supplies natural gas, from the Inčukalns Underground Gas Storage Facility, to Estonia, northwestern Russia, and Lithuania.
Vinsents Makaris
Phone + (371) 67 369 144
E-mail: IR@lg.lv