Operators Expect Common Market Area in the South to Increase Attractiveness of French Gas Market

Gas transmission operator GRTgaz expects that the common market area in southern France - to be launched on 1 April - will increase the attractiveness of the French gas market.  

“This is a first step towards the creation of a single wholesale gas market in France by 2018 as encouraged by the French Energy Regulator CRE” Thierry Trouvé, CEO of gas transmission operator GRTgaz, said as reported by a note released on Tuesday.

On 1 April, the Trading Region South (TRS) will replace the existing GRTgaz PEG Sud and the TIGF market areas.

According to the gas transmission and storage operator TIGF, the measure will help shippers, and will make the market area more liquid.

“The main aim of TRS is to simplify client access to the wholesale gas market in southern France, introducing a common price for the settlement of imbalances. As from 1 April 2015, shippers will no longer have to subscribe capacities to the interconnection of the two networks” Monique Delamare, CEO of gas transmission and storage operator TIGF, added.