With construction works starting in early 2020 and completed in December 2021, the Lithuania–Poland Gas Interconnection (GIPL) began operating in May 2022, marking an important milestone in the energy independence of the Baltic States and Finland.

The Lithuania–Poland Gas Interconnection GIPL strengthened the region’s independence from Russian gas by providing the Baltic States and Finland with access to gas from continental Europe through Poland, in addition to liquefied natural gas terminals. At the same time, GIPL connected the Baltic States’ gas market with the European gas market and increased the choice of supply routes. The European Commission identifies the interconnection as one of the projects important for regional gas supply security.

Natural gas can flow in both directions through the interconnection. The GIPL pipeline runs from the Jauniūnai Gas Compressor Station in the Širvintos district to the Hołowczyce Gas Compressor Station in Poland. The 508-kilometre-long GIPL pipeline, including 165 kilometres in Lithuania, expanded the European gas market by integrating the Baltic States and Finland. Following the geopolitical changes resulting from Russia’s war against Ukraine, GIPL, together with the Klaipėda LNG terminal, became energy security infrastructure not only for Lithuania, but also for Poland and the entire Baltic region.

The GIPL project was implemented by the Lithuanian and Polish gas transmission system operators Amber Grid and Gaz-System. The total project value was approximately EUR 500 million, with approximately 60% of the funding provided by the European Commission. The gas transmission system operators of Latvia and Estonia also contributed to the project’s financing.

The capacity for transporting gas from Lithuania to Poland via the Klaipėda LNG terminal is 217,000 m³/h or 2.4 GWh/h. This corresponds to 1.9 billion m³ per year or 21 TWh per year. The capacity for transporting gas from Poland to Lithuania is 230,000 m³/h or 2.6 GWh/h. This corresponds to 2 billion m³ per year or approximately 22 TWh per year.

The pipeline operates at a pressure of 54 bar. A special 17-kilometre section of the pipeline was constructed from the Santaka Gas Metering and Pressure Regulation Station in Šeštokai to the Lithuania–Poland border. The gas pressure in this section reaches 84 bar, and no natural gas pipelines operating at such pressure existed in Lithuania before the implementation of the GIPL project.

Amber Grid paid landowners approximately EUR 1.3 million in compensation for the GIPL pipeline route crossing their land plots. As part of the project, Amber Grid signed an 18-year loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) worth up to EUR 65 million to finance construction works in Lithuania.