AB Amber Grid : Despite high prices, gas consumption in Lithuania remained stable

According to the data of the Lithuanian gas transmission system operator Amber Grid, Lithuania consumed 24 terawatt hours (TWh) of gas in 2021, which is 4 percent less compared to 2020, when Lithuania's gas demand was 25 TWh. Cold winter and spring weather prevailing at the beginning of last year resulted in a higher gas consumption in the heat and electricity generation sectors, but in the second half of the year, gas consumption in Lithuania fell due to record high gas prices on global gas exchanges.

Last year, gas flows from Lithuania to Latvia decreased, transmitting gas to other Baltic countries and Finland. The gas pipeline connection between Lithuania and Latvia transmitted 1.9 TWh of gas in 2021, which was 76 percent less than in 2020, when large volumes of gas (8 TWh) were transported to Baltic countries due to historically low gas prices at that time.

"Consumers are trying to save in the face of extremely high gas prices currently prevailing in European markets. Gas consumption has decreased, although the decrease has been very slight so far. Insufficient gas supply to Europe further reinforces the importance of security of gas supply and uninterrupted gas transmission to consumers. We are constantly monitoring the current situation, consistently implementing measures that ensure security of supply and better gas exchange," says Nemunas Biknius, CEO of Amber Grid.

The Klaipėda LNG terminal continues to play an important role in ensuring smooth supply of gas to consumers in Lithuania and other Baltic countries. In 2021, 16.3 TWh of gas was delivered from the terminal, which accounted for 62 percent of the total volume of gas supplied to consumers in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. 3.2 TWh, or 12 percent, of gas was transmitted from Latvian gas transmission networks and 6.8 TWh, or 26 percent, was transported from Belarussian gas transmission networks to the Lithuanian gas transmission system.

Gas transportation from Belarus through Lithuania to the Königsberg region totalled 26.7 TWh, and was 7.2 percent higher than at the same time last year, when 24.9 TWh of gas was transmitted in transit to the Königsberg region via our country.

A total of nearly 53 TWh of natural gas was transported through the Lithuanian gas transmission system operated by Amber Grid in 2021.

At present, gas is supplied to Lithuania via the Klaipėda LNG terminal, from Latvia and from Russia via Belarus. The launch of the gas interconnection between Poland and Lithuania (GIPL) this year will create yet another alternative source of gas supply, ensuring the supply of gas from various gas sources via Poland to Lithuania, other Baltic countries and Finland.