Today, Gasunie concludes new ten-year framework agreements. The company makes agreements with six contractors about the maintenance and management of existing natural gas pipelines. The agreements also include work regarding the construction of new pipelines for, among other things, hydrogen, green gas and CO2. The agreement involves a maximum investment volume of 4 billion euros, spread over a period of 10 years.
With its investments, Gasunie is responding to the shift from natural gas to other energy carriers such as hydrogen, green gas and heat, as well as the transport of CO2. These changes require a new approach to purchasing and infrastructure development, according to the company. The new working method is focused on strategic partnership. The required large-scale investments require strategic partnerships, in which parties jointly tackle the challenges. Gasunie and partners have a strong need for continuity and predictability of work. That is why the contracts have a long term.
Conservation
The focus of the investments is on maintaining a safe and reliable gas network. Gasunie is also investing in new pipelines for the transport of hydrogen and CO2. The new contracts are part of the ‘Working & Engineering in Strategic Partnerships’ programme. This program has a major impact on the entire Gasunie organization. Its realization took two years of preparation.
Gasunie signs the ten-year contracts with Heijmans Infra, A. Hak Leidingbouw, Visser & Smit Hanab, Combinatie Van Voskuilen Industrie / Van Gelder Cable, Pipeline and Assembly Works, MVOI and the Combination De Romein Infra & Milieu / Max Streicher.
In January, Gasunie already concluded similar contracts with various contractors in the context of the aforementioned program. These contracts involved an amount of 280 million euros. The company then indicated that it was entering into long-term contracts due to the growing number of projects. One of the reasons that Gasunie then gave for this type of partnership concerned the tight labor market and the capacity of contractors. Continuity is guaranteed through long-term framework contracts.