PLINACRO d.o.o. - Operator plinskoga transportnog sustava

Market Demand Survey

COMMENCEMENT OF THE INCREMENTAL CAPACITY PROCESS PURSUANT TO THE REGULATION (EU) NO. 2017/459 ESTABLISHING A NETWORK CODE ON CAPACITY ALLOCATION MECHANISMS IN GAS TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS

Plinacro informs the interested public that it will commence the incremental capacity process on 7 July 2025, in compliance with chapter V of the Regulation (EU) no. 2017/459, for the incremental capacity:

a) at the existing interconnection points;

b) by establishing a new interconnection point;

c) for the reverse flow at the interconnection point at which the capacity was previously offered in one direction only.

In cooperation with the neighbouring transmission system operators Plinacro will conduct an assessment of market demand for incremental capacity.

We invite interested participants to complete the questionnaire about non-binding incremental capacity separately for demand indicators referring to natural gas transmission and those referring to hydrogen transmission, as provided in the Form for submitting the non-binding demand indicators (Plinacros_table_2025.xlsx).

In the first phase of the process, from 7 July to 1 September 2025, Plinacro will be collecting non-binding requests for the firm capacity.

For additional information and a questionnaire for the assessment of the non-binding demand for firm capacity on interconnections see the following links:

Instructions for completing the form

Form for submitting the non-binding demand indicators

Participants are reminded that a non-binding request for firm capacity on an interconnection has to be submitted to both neighbouring transmission system operators. If two entities plan to submit a request jointly, one on the one side and the other one on the other side of the interconnection point, then the interest should be expressed in a joint request with both neighbouring operators at the interconnection point.

Please be so kind to send the completed forms as well as any additional questions you may have regarding the incremental capacity process to the e-mail address

by 1 September 2025, at the latest.

In cooperation with the neighbouring transmission system operators Plinacro will publish a Market demand assessment report within 8 weeks upon the market test completion, and by 27 October .2025, at the latest.

Moreover, we inform interested participants about the plans of Plinacro and adjacent operators concerning development projects for delivery of LH2, production of renewable hydrogen and transmission of hydrogen towards Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Southeastern Europe (SEE).

The Croatian Hydrogen Strategy until 2050 envisages the development of a terminal for LH2 on the island of Krk, for the construction of which interest has been expressed (Green Energy Park KRK). Combined with the potential for renewable electricity and hydrogen production in Croatia's coastal counties, these sources represent significant potential for supplying customers from Croatia, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Southeastern Europe (SEE) with renewable hydrogen.

Therefore, together with neighbouring transmission system operators, Plinacro is considering the construction of hydrogen pipelines towards two hydrogen corridors:

• South-East European Hydrogen Corridor - Gas Infrastructure Europe and

• SoutH2 Corridor

We invite interested participants to express a non-binding interest in the development of hydrogen transmission capacities towards the stated corridors by filling out Plinacro's Form for submitting non-binding demand indicators for entry points for LH2 and hydrogen and hydrogen interconnections and forms of neighbouring operators for capacities towards:

• South-East European Hydrogen Corridor - Gas Infrastructure Europe

o FGSZ - Market Demand Survey

• SoutH2 Corridor

o Plinovodi - Market Demand Survey

o GCA-Incremental Capacity Process (Start 2025)

MARKET DEMAND ASSESSMENT REPORT (2023.):

Based on the received indicative requests, in cooperation with adjacent transmission system operators (Plinovodi, FGSZ) Plinacro prepared Demand Assessment Reports for interconnection points as follows:

for interconnection point Rogatec - Demand Assessment Report is available for download at the following link: Report.
Hydrogen Demand Assessment Report is available for download at the following link: H2 Report
for interkonekcijsku point Dravaszerdahely - Demand Assessment Report is available for download at the following link: Report

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According to the Market Demand Assessment Report for the Rogatec Interconnection Point, in compliance with the results of the assessment of non-binding demand indicators, historical usage reviews and the results of recent annual auctions, it is necessary to develop new interconnections for the specified level of demand; therefore, the process of capacity increase should be initiated.

According to the recommendations from the REPowerEU, from the Recovery and Resilience Fund the financing was approved and the construction of the Lučko-Zabok gas pipeline started. This gas pipeline will enable the transmission of natural gas from Croatia to Slovenia at the Rogatec interconnection point in a maximum volume of 1.5 billion cubic meters per year. The gas pipeline will be constructed in 2026, and therefore the procedure for capacity increase at the interconnection on the Croatian side will not be initiated.

Market Demand Survey

Selected topics