From the new year, Poland will have a single gas balancing area, leading to a significant drop in transmission charges. The operator has already cut rates on the Yamal pipeline by over 70 percent, and further reductions of up to 58 percent on imports from Germany are planned from January 2027.
The operator of the Polish gas transmission system, GAZ-SYSTEM, is reshaping the rules for using the national gas network. The changes come as the company integrates two historically separate balancing zones – the domestic transmission system and the transit gas pipeline system (the former Yamal pipeline). The aim is to simplify procedures and lower costs for suppliers, consumers, and the operator itself.
The President of the Energy Regulatory Office has already approved a new tariff for transmission services, which will take effect on 1 January 2027. This tariff introduces a single balancing area for high-methane natural gas and a common grid connection point on the Polish-German border.
How much will transmission costs fall?
The impact on prices is substantial. Under the new system, the cost of importing gas from Germany to Poland via the GCP (Grid Connection Point) between GAZ-SYSTEM and the eastern German operator ONTRAS will drop by 19 percent. Even more striking is the reduction for imports via the Yamal pipeline, which will fall by as much as 58 percent.
Transit through Poland using the domestic system alone will become 17 percent cheaper, while using both the domestic system and the Yamal pipeline together will see costs drop by nearly half – exactly 49 percent. These reductions are made possible by the earlier cut in charges for entry/exit points on the Yamal pipeline, which boosted its utilisation and allowed lower tariffs overall.
More flexibility for short-term demand
The new tariff also addresses the need for flexibility in covering sudden spikes in gas demand, such as during cold snaps or drops in renewable energy generation. The multiplier for daily products will fall from 1.95 to 1.6, meaning the total fee for a single exit point will decrease by 29 percent.
This is crucial for balancing the system in real time and ensuring supply security. GAZ-SYSTEM is also simplifying procedures by merging the two balancing areas, which will reduce administrative burdens for market participants.
Strengthening Poland’s role as a regional gas hub
Behind these changes lies a broader strategy. Poland is expanding its gas infrastructure: GAZ-SYSTEM manages over 12,200 kilometres of pipelines, the Baltic Pipe, the Świnoujście LNG terminal, and is building two FSRUs in the Gulf of Gdańsk. By 2030, the country will have nearly 50 billion cubic metres of annual import capacity.
– The company consistently develops and integrates the national transmission infrastructure, strengthening the security of gas supply to Poland and the transit potential of the region. Today, we are using these possibilities to lower transmission rates and simplify the rules of using the system – said Sławomir Hinc, president of GAZ-SYSTEM.
He added that the changes from 2027 will increase system availability, improve efficiency, and bolster Poland’s position as a transit country and a trading hub for gas in this part of Europe. Consultation on the draft of the new Network Code for the combined entry-exit system runs until 6 July 2026.
Source: wnp.pl, Fot. Materiały prasowe / Gaz-System
