The filling of the LNG Storage and Gasification Station developed by Enaon EDA, the Greek Gas Distribution Company, a subsidiary of Italgas, was completed on Tuesday 24/09/2024 at the Industrial Park of Kastoria, to bring natural gas to the areas of Kastoria and Argos Orestiko. These areas, as noted in the announcement, will be the first in Greece that Enaon EDA will supply with virtual interconnection through the Gasification Station (LNG station), followed by Florina and the Industrial Area of Patras by the end of 2024.
In Kastoria, the transport of LNG was carried out by DEPA Emporia, through a specially constructed tanker (LNG truck) which has an insulated tank to keep the gas in a liquid state.
The cooperation between the two companies provides for the supply and transportation of LNG from the Revithoussa LNG station to cover the supply needs of Western Macedonia (Florina, Kastoria, Argos Orestiko) and Western Greece (Patras).
This supply is a milestone in DEPA Emporia’s strategy to bring natural gas to more remote areas of the country that are not connected to the national transmission network.
From the Storage and Gasification Station, the Liquefied Natural Gas will be regasified to be piped to the network that is under construction in the areas of Kastoria, Maniaki, Argos Orestiko, and Dispilio.
The partial activation of the Medium and Low Pressure networks for the supply of the areas Argos Orestiko and Dispilio is planned for the beginning of October and with the completion of these areas the activation of the Medium and Low Pressure networks for the supply of the Maniaki area will follow. The network in the city of Kastoria is estimated to be activated during October.
The project in the areas of Kastoria and Argos Orestiko provides for an investment of €11.76 million for the construction of 117 km of network through which at least 2,100 consumers from the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors will be supplied with electricity in 2025-2026. Already, there is an increased interest in connection to the gas network from households and businesses as well as from public and municipal buildings, including the General Hospital of Kastoria, as well as the building of the Regional Unit of Kastoria.
To date, about 50 km of the network have been constructed, and the project is scheduled to be completed in June 2025.
Ms. Francesca Zanninotti, CEO of Enaon EDA, the Greek Gas Distribution Company stressed: “We are very pleased with the successful completion of the filling process of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) storage and gasification station developed by Enaon EDA to supply Kastoria and Argos Orestiko, which marks an important step towards ensuring the efficient and uninterrupted distribution of natural gas to our consumers. We are proceeding immediately with the filling of the network with natural gas, consistently continuing our processes based on safety, efficiency, and environmental sensitivity. The project is progressing rapidly and very soon these areas will be the first in Greece to be supplied by Enaon EDA through state-of-the-art LNG infrastructure developed with the expertise of the parent group Italgas. We thank everyone who worked for the successful completion of this critical stage and remain committed to the continuous development of our infrastructure to meet the needs of our society and our consumers.”
The CEO of DEPA Emporia Group, Mr. Konstantinos Xifaras, said, “The LNG refueling that took place in Kastoria is DEPA’s first in a series of remote distribution network supplies in Greece that will follow. True to its strategic development plan and social mission, DEPA Trading is bringing the economic and environmental benefits of natural gas to households and businesses across the country, economically and safely. At the same time, our company is strengthening its position in the LNG transportation market, constantly increasing its fleet of vehicles to meet the needs of even the most remote areas of our country.”