Piombino (Livorno), 29 April 2024 – Italy increasingly independent from Russia for the gas thanks also to Piombino. The CEO of Snam explains it Stefano Venier. “By increasing gas supplies fromAlgeria and bringing the Tapwe have taken important steps to make ourselves independent from Russia: in 2023 we had already fallen below 5% compared to 14% for the rest of Europe”.
Stefano Venier with the minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin
This was underlined by the CEO of Snam, Stefano Venier, in an interview. Results achieved by “expanding the infrastructure to receive liquid natural gas: last summer the new Piombino plant was launched while the Ravenna ship will come into operation at the beginning of 2025. In this way we aim to cover 40% of national demand through imports Of LNG compared to 15% in the past”, explained the top manager.
TO Ravenna, he added, “work on land has already reached 70% while we are at 30% as regards the offshore part which will experience an acceleration during the summer because two naval vessels will arrive in May which are used for the installation of the platform and the laying of the 8 kilometers of pipeline for the connection with the onshore infrastructures. In perspective – Venier commented – Ravenna will be the ideal landing place for the gas arriving from Cyprus, Israel and Egypt”. Meanwhile, while in Liguria there is still discussion about the VIA procedure (environmental impact assessment) for the placement of the regasification ship Golar Tundra off the coast of Vado Ligure in 2026, in Piombino the mayor Francesco Ferrari announced abandon the appeal to the Council of State after the rejection of the TAR on the opposition to the regasification terminal. And at the same time Ferrari explained that he intended to open a discussion with Snam.
A change of direction which, beyond the inevitable electoral controversies, opens up a new phase. Snam recently reiterated that it is moving forward, as decided by the institutions, to prepare for the transfer of the Golar Tundra regasification ship from Piombino to Liguria in two years. But it is equally undeniable that the investments made have been important and the activity in the port of Piombino is proceeding smoothly. Therefore, if other choices were to arrive at government level, maintaining the ship in Tuscany would be, from a technical point of view, a valid solution.
