The Minister of Economy and Finance of the Generalitat, Jaume Giró, does not trust the times announced by the central government to build the MidCat. “It is not realistic or responsible” to limit the construction period of the gas pipeline that would cross Catalonia to between eight and nine months, Giró assured in statements to TV-3, collected by Europa Press.
These statements come a day after the Third Vice President of the Government and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Theresa Riveraannounced that period of time, something that the Minister of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory, reiterated this Saturday, Felix Bolanos.
The number is the result of a study carried out by the Spanish gas system operator (Enagás) and its French counterpart (Teréga) to speed up construction of one new interconnect with the rest of the continent in the face of the energy crisis that may arise when Moscow turns off the gas tap. And although he layout will be similar to that of the MidCat –the part already built will be used so that only the remaining 100 kilometers to France have to be built–, it is a new project that would work in the opposite direction (south-north) and that would also allow transport hydrogen.
The objective is to double the capacity of the two current gas pipelines –which cross the Basque Country– with a new pipeline through Catalonia with a maximum flow of 7,000 million cubic meters. The project will involve an investment of 370 million euros, as estimated by Enagás in the drafting of its strategic plan.
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Giró has remarked that the Government is in favor of the construction of this gas pipeline, but has considered that its construction “will not be easy or fast”, for which reason he has asked the central Government to make a “realistic approximation” of deadlines of the project. Enagás has pointed out that these eight months of term begin counting from the start of constructionwhen you already have all the prior authorizations.
In this sense, Giró has considered the project as a partial solution pending the approvals of the different French and European institutions and has added that for France “it is not a priority”, since the country produces the 70% of your electricity through the nuclear energies. France’s position is fundamental because it must commit itself to continuing the pipeline to the rest of the continent, and the Spanish government also insists that the gas pipeline must be financed by Brussels.