

Three out of four LNG terminals are functioning on the basis of full third-party access. The Dunkerque and Montoir terminals have no plans to expand over the next decade, while the terminals in Fos sur Mer are studying an expansion.

The average utilisation rate of the French LNG terminals was 41% in 2019. The Dunkerque terminal is majority owned by Belgium’s Fluxys with a minority held by Korean investors. The Fos Cavaou terminal is owned by Fosmax LNG, a subsidiary of Elengy and Total (shares of 72.5% and 27.5% respectively), and is operated by Elengy. Terminals in Fos Tonkin and Montoir are owned by Elengy (a 100% subsidiary of Engie). Both transmission and distribution networks are open to third-party users.įrance has four LNG terminals (two in Fos sur Mer on the Mediterranean, one in Montoir de Bretagne on the Atlantic and one in Dunkerque on the North Sea). The French gas distribution network totals 195 000 km, the second-longest gas network in Europe after Germany. GRDF operates 95% of France’s distribution grids, while 22 local distribution companies cover the remaining 5% and offer their own regulated tariffs.

The two networks interconnect in Castillon-la-Bataille (Department of Dordogne) and Cruzy (Hérault).ĭistribution networks are owned by local communities and are managed through a concession-based system whereby concession agreements govern the relationship between local authorities and Gaz Réseau Distribution France (GRDF), a subsidiary of the Engie. Teréga, TotalEnergies's former subsidiary, operates the remaining 13% of the system, with 650 km of the main network and 4 450 km of the regional networks in the south-west of France. GRTgaz is controlled by Engie, which in July 2021 sold its 11.5% share in the company to financial institutions Caisse des Dépôts and CNP Assurances, and together now control 39% of GRTgaz, while Engie retained 61%. GRTgaz operates 8 110 km of the main network and 24 043 km of the regional networks (together around 87% of the total gas transmission network in France). The natural gas transmission network is operated by two TSOs: GRTgaz and Teréga. Neither project was included in the latest list of projects of common interest of the European Commission. In the past, France considered building new gas pipelines within France and between France and Spain (MidCat and South Transist East Pyrenees projects), but abandoned these plans in the face of expected reductions of gas consumption in France and overcapacity of the grid.
