Commission proposes to support additional energy connections
In view of the changing energy supply market in the European Union and neighbouring countries, the Commission has proposed that some 15 additional major energy connections should be named as priorities for funding under the trans-European energy networks (TENs). In addition to putting forward 15 new links, the Commission also proposes to amend four projects already on the list, in view of changing energy needs. Some 11 of the 15 new projects are concerned with developing gas networks in Europe, whether connecting isolate networks into the main European networks, increasing storage capacities, or increasing the capacity of existing networks. To an extent, the prevalence given to gas networks among the new projects reflects a switch towards gas in the EU's Member States. In view of the commitments to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases made by the EU at Kyoto, gas is seen as a much cleaner fuel than coal, and has much greater public acceptance than nuclear power. It is therefore likely that the share of gas in the EU's overall power mix will grow in the coming years. The newly proposed projects have now to be accepted by the Parliament and Council before EU funding can be made available to them under the trans-European networks. If accepted, this would be the second modification to the list of priority projects originally adopted in 1996.