President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman visited Jirkov LVS
Jirkov 24th October 2013 - The President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman together with the Governor of the Ústí nad Labem region Oldřich Bubeníček visited today the line valve station of the GAZELLE gas line in Jirkov, Northern Bohemia. On the line valve station premises, the President of the Czech Republic and the Governor of the Ústí nad Labem region were welcomed by the representatives of the new NET4GAS owner, Ms. Jaroslava Korpanec (Managing Director of Alliance Capital Partner) and Mikhail Nahorny (Vice President of Borealis Infrastructure), as well as by Mr. Thomas Kleefuss, CEO, and Mr. Radek Benčík, COO on behalf of NET4GAS.
During his visit to the line station valve, the President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman highly appreciated the attention paid by NET4GAS to the development of the Czech transmission system, which guarantees energy security not only for the Czech Republic. In this context, President Zeman considers very important the fact that “the reverse flows increased, which means that the gas can flow in both directions, thus guaranteeing energy security." Jirkov line valve station is one of the five interconnections of Gazelle with the existing pipeline system in our territory. As Miloš Zeman confirmed, the Czech Republic is presently able to buy natural gas without being dependent on Ukraine as a transit country.... President Zeman also showed interest in the safety and monitoring of pipelines and in other planned investments made by NET4GAS.
The representative of Alliance Capital Partners Ms. Jaroslava Korpanec assured President Zeman that both the new NET4GAS owners (German Alliance Capital Partners and Canadian funds Borealis Infrastructure) consider this investment of theirs (more than CZK 40 billion) in NET4GAS a long-term one, and are interested in its further development. In this context, the stability of the legal and regulatory environment in the Czech Republic is of the utmost concern to them, as it significantly affects the development and investment potential of the company. Mr. Radek Benčík, NET4GAS Executive, highlighted excellent cooperation with regional authorities and also with the municipality of Jirkov, in which territorial area the line valve station is located.
NET4GAS put GAZELLE gas line into operation in January 2013 with the participation of the Czech Prime Minister and the representatives of the governments of Germany and of the Russian Federation. GAZELLE gas line connects the transmission system MEGAL (supplying the south of Germany and France) with NORD STREAM, the new northern route for the transportation of natural gas on the bottom of the Baltic sea and with OPAL gas line for the transportation of natural gas through northern Germany.
The high-pressure gas line GAZELLE, which runs through the territory of the Czech Republic, is part of a new European energy policy which aims, among other things, at significant strengthening of energy security by diversifying energy sources. This was one of the reasons why the construction of the GAZELLE gas line was one of the major energy projects supported by the Czech government. In August 2010, the Czech government included supporting the construction of GAZELLE in its policy statement as one of the main priorities in the field of the energy industry. The strategic value of the high-pressure gas provides a new opportunity for the Czech Republic to strengthen its importance in the European natural gas transmission business.
Construction CommencementSeptember 2010
Construction CompletionDecember 2012
Start of Operation January 2013
Gas Line Length166 km
Gas Pressure8.4 MPa
Project InvestorNET4GAS, s.r.o.
N4G Investment ValueCZK 10 billion (Euro 400 million)
The GAZELLE gas line project started with the construction of a border transfer station in the Brandov municipality in Krušné hory mountains in 2010, officially put into operation a year later by the then President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus. The construction as such was completed exactly on schedule in December 2012. The GAZELLE gas line of the length of 166 km connects to NORD STREAM and OPAL, which bring the gas to the border of the Czech Republic by a new “Northern Route”. The GAZELLE gas line route then continues through the Czech territory to the border transfer station Rozvadov-Waidhaus, which is connected to the MEGAL transmission system (system of gas pipelines supplying gas to the south of Germany and France). NET4GAS is the sole investor in the GAZELLE project worth CZK 10 billion.
- GAZELLE gas line significantly enhances the possibilities of supplying the Czech Republic and other European countries with natural gas
- GAZELLE gas line enhances the security of natural gas supplies in the Czech Republic and EU Member States
- GAZELLE plays a strategic role in the event of interruption of gas supplies from Russia via Ukraine
- It extends the transmission capacity of gas supplies in the Czech Republic
- GAZELLE gas line has four interconnections with the Czech gas transmission system. Jirkov line valve station is one such interconnection.
- It strengthens the strategic importance of the Czech Republic for the European transport route from Russia.
- GAZELLE gas line transports gas to Central and Western European countries.
- It increases the energy independence of the Czech Republic.
- GAZELLE gas line contributed to the diversification of transport routes by providing a connection to NORD STREAM and OPAL, systems bringing natural gas to Europe via a new northern route across the Baltic Sea.
Milan Řepka
NET4GAS, s.r.o. Spokesperson
NET4GAS, s.r.o. / Na Hřebenech II 1718/8 / Tel.: +420 739 537 461140 21 Prague 4 – Nusle / Email:
Czech Republic / Web: