A leap in gas consumption, related to the construction of gas-fired energy plants, is expected by 2015, Radosław Dudziński, deputy chief executive of Poland's gas monopoly PGNiG said Tuesday.

“At the moment energy companies are saying they want to build four-five gigawatts of power from gas-fired plants. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We think 1.5-2 gigawatts are possible by 2015,” Mr Dudziński said during the III Central European Gas Summit in Warsaw.

PGNiG expects an increase in annual gas consumption of about 0.9 billion cubic meters once the two most advanced projects, to build gas-fired power plants of 630 megawatts capacity, come on-line.

Currently, Poland uses 13-14 billion cubic meters of gas annually, of which more than two-thirds is imported from Russia.

Presently, PGNiG is undertaking a joint venture with Tauron, Poland's second largest energy producer, to construct a 400 megawatt gas-fired plant in Stalowa Wola at a cost of €1.8 billion. (GP)

Source: Thomson Reuters