GasNet completes reconstruction of regulation station near Velim, making regional gas flows even safer

GasNet Group, the largest gas distributor in the Czech Republic, has successfully completed the reconstruction of a high-pressure regulation station near the village of Velim in the Kolín region. The project was organisationally more demanding: the original station was completely dismantled and a new one was built near nearby Vítězov. This work took place simultaneously with the reconstruction of high-pressure gas pipelines in the nearby locality of Břežany, requiring precise coordination of all teams. Despite the challenging conditions, GasNet completed the construction without interrupting gas supplies to customers. Local households and businesses were supplied during the planned reconstruction period using liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers. By completing the project, GasNet Group has increased the safety and reliability of gas supplies in the region.

GasNet Group operates more than three thousand regulation stations in the Czech Republic. These ensure that gas always reaches customers at the correct pressure so that they can use it safely. The regulation station near Velim reduces gas pressure from 2.3 MPa to 300 kPa.

“The original regulation station dated from 1988 and its technical condition required modernisation. We carried this out by relocating the station near the nearby village of Vítězov, to a more suitable plot outside the built-up area. The project was organisationally more demanding also because we coordinated it with the reconstruction of high-pressure gas pipelines in the nearby locality of Břežany. Successfully. Overall, we have strengthened the reliability and safety of gas supplies for local municipalities and businesses,” explains Milan Knittel, Senior Specialist for Regional Asset Management at GasNet.

Construction without interrupting gas supplies to customers

“We always look for ways to maintain stable gas supplies. In this case too, strong coordination of teams and construction procedures played a role. For seven days, as planned in advance, we supplied surrounding households and businesses using liquefied natural gas - LNG tankers. This allowed us to maintain gas supplies to customers without restrictions,” Milan Knittel continues.

He specifies that liquefied natural gas has up to 600 times less volume than its gaseous form, making it possible to transport a relatively large volume of gas even in a small storage tank – such as a mobile tanker. Larger tanks can hold more than 55 thousand m³ of gas.

The regulation station successfully passed final inspection in mid-October. Credit goes to all GasNet teams and suppliers, especially MONTGAS, UNImont plus and Spolgas.