Establishing connection

Conducting the procurement for establishing connection

After the connection fee is concluded and the first instalment has been paid, Elering shall prepare the procurement documents.

In the course of preparation of the procurement documents, it shall be determined whether the planned technical solution will require construction works outside the Elering land unit. In such a case, negotiations will be launched with land owners for purchasing the necessary land. In case of eminent domain or planning problems, Elering shall involve the local government in negotiations. If Elering’s existing registered immovable enables construction of the connection, the estimated time after the payment of the first instalment until the announcement of the procurement shall be up to six months depending of the technical solution, and if new planning documents are established, the time may become longer due to third parties.

Upon announcement of the procurement, the contract notice shall be published in the public procurements register. In the case of procurements under the threshold for simplified procurement, Elering shall itself invite tenderers to take part in the procurement. The tenderers shall submit to Elering the documents required in the contract documents (qualification documents and tender), in regard to which Elering shall perform a check of the conformity to the requirements. Potential contractors shall be generally given 4-8 weeks to prepare and submit tenders.

Upon receiving the tenders, Elering shall verify their conformity to the requirements of the contract documents and determine the best tender. The result (best tenderer) shall be coordinated with the customer. After the winner is announced, the customer must pay the second instalment of the connection fee within 20 days. Upon receipt of the second instalment of the connection fee, the network operator shall enter into a contract for services for design and construction works.

Establishing connection

In the course of the construction of the connection point and upon completion, Elering shall verify that the gas equipment established for performing the connection contract conforms to the project and the requirements. The initial flow of gas into the customer’s gas installation shall be opened after the contractor’s construction is completed as required and accepted by Elering and compliance of the following requirements specified in the connection agreement and the connection applications, including:

• the technical project for the customer’s installation has been coordinated with Elering;
• the customer’s gas installation is ready for receiving gas;
• A declaration for opening gas flow has been filed with Elering;
• the technical audit preceding the use of the gas installation has been carried out and the positive outcome has been submitted to the network operator;
• all required payments have been remitted to the network operator;
• Data on the customer’s gas installation have been submitted to Elering in the extent required in the connection contract and the connection conditions;
• A contract on use of the network connection has been concluded with Elering.

Conditions for producers

To open gas flow, the producer must meet the following conditions:

• carry out testing and calibration procedure (SAT – Site Acceptance Tests) for the gas metering system belonging to the producer. To ensure that the network operator has an opportunity to take part in SAT, the producer must notify Elering thereof 14 days in advance.
• carry out testing and calibration procedures on the site at least three weeks before the start of the gas flow into the network operator’s gas system is planned;
• The producer has submitted to Elering, at least 14 days earlier, the results and report on the tests of the gas installation data volumes and functionality of the control devices;
• The producer has, no later than 14 days of opening the initial flow of gas or change in raw material, submitted to Elering the results of the conformity evaluation for the gas, including in conformity with standard EVS-EN 16723-1, which certifies that gas transmitted to the network operator is in conformity with established legal acts, standards and the connection contract.

It is important to note that after the initial flow of gas is opened, the Producer must:

• test, within 14 days, the functioning of all control commands between the network operator’s control centre and its installation;
• ensure, during the period of validity of the temporary network contract (one year of the opening of the initial flow of gas) the carrying out of all testing in the required extent and on the required conditions;
• to confirm for the purposes of entering into a permanent network contract that the production installation belonging to it has been tested and the gas entering the network operator’s pipeline meets the valid quality requirements and does not contain hazardous substances.