NIK: delays in LNG terminal construction put EU funding at risk

The Supreme Audit Office (NIK) has evaluated the construction of the Świnoujście LNG terminal. The watchdog points out that Poland has failed to finalize the construction before the deadline and is still incapable of receiving liquified gas. The office claims that companies responsible for key operations regarding the investment, GAZ-SYSTEM and PLNG, have failed to comply with their obligations. Additionally, NIK puts the blame on ministries which were suppose to supervise the construction, but apparently neglected their duties. The Świnoujście LNG terminal was expected be put into operation before the end of H1 2014. The deadline was later extended until the end of 2014, however, the construction was not finalized by then. According to NIK, such delays put at risk EU subsidies earmarked for the investment. Head of the PM's political office, Marcin Kierwiński, told the Polish national broadcaster Monday that the construction is set to be finalized at the end of this year. Świnoujście LNG terminal is a liquefied natural gas import terminal currently under construction. The terminal will have an unloading jetty for large LNG tankers, two storage tanks and a regasification train. The terminal's initial regasification capacity will be 5 billion cubic metres per annum.