3.1.2 (j) Rules applicable for connection to the system operated by the transmission system operator
2022. 07. 29.
“Transmission system operators shall publish at least the following information about their systems and services:
(j) the rules applicable for connection to the system operated by the transmission system operator;"
The rules applicable for connection to the system operated by the transmission system operator are governed by the following legislative and internal regulations:
1. Act XL of 2008 on Natural Gas Supply - Article V. (accessible only in Hungarian)
2. Government Decree 19/2009 (I.30.) on the implementation of Act XL of 2008 on Natural Gas Supply - Paragraphs 63-92. (accessible only in Hungarian)
3. Operation and Business Code of the Hungarian Natural Gas System (OBC) / Network Code
3.2. Connection
3.2.1. General conditions for connection to the natural gas network
a) A precondition of connection shall be that the application complies with the requirements of the relevant legislation and the relevant system operator’s business code.
b) Where connection at the applicant’s request to the natural gas distribution system is made at the applicant’s expense, the equipment’s owner and the distribution system operator concerned shall agree on ownership, operation and technical design of the connection point. On the basis of the agreement, the distribution system operator concerned shall initiate the amendment of its operating license as necessary.
c) In the event of connection to the interconnected natural gas system, the technical scope and scheduling of the implementation of the connection point shall be regulated in the connection contract between the system operator and the actor wishing to connect.
d) Upon conclusion of the connection contract, the system operators shall enter on their records the purchased capacity construed as at the exit point of the natural gas distribution system (m3/h) and of the transmission system (kWh/h (25/0 °C)), in accordance with the connection contract.
e) For customers connected to the transmission system before 2004, the purchased capacity shall be the capacity recorded in the interconnection agreement, or in the connection contract, or the document related to the capacity available at the point of delivery (which is not to be construed as booked capacity).
f) In the case of a customer who can only be supplied the demanded capacity in part or in full by means of interruptible capacity, the purchased capacity shall accordingly be recorded in the transmission system in part or in full as interruptible.
g) The system operator concerned may reject a request for connection if:
i. there is a technical obstacle to connection;
ii. connection is contrary to law;
iii. the applicant requesting the connection does not undertake to pay the connection fee or to comply with the conditions for connection specified in separate legislation or in the relevant system operator’s business code;
iv. the applicant does not have access permission as stipulated in paragraph 1.5 of the Code.
h) Ensuring the pressure and the quantitative and qualitative measurement of gas to be delivered at the production exit point shall be the natural gas producer’s responsibility at its own expense and title to the instruments related to quantitative and qualitative measurement shall be transferred to the statutory transmission system operator in accordance with legislation.
i) In the event of new demand, the system operator shall check the availability of capacity on its own system. In the case of a capacity-charge user taking off gas from the natural gas distribution system, or if in the distribution system operator’s opinion satisfaction of the new demand exceeds the capacity of the transmission system exit point included in the interconnection agreement concluded with the transmission system operator, the distribution system operator shall request a certificate from the transmission system operator as to whether the required capacity is available on the transmission system. If the distribution system operator overloads the exit point, it shall bear any and all troubleshooting costs incurred. If the required capacities are available, the distribution system operator shall notify the prospective user thereof. If the required capacity is not available, paragraph 3.2.2 of the Code shall apply.
j) If the required capacity is available at the POD requested by the user on the natural gas distribution network but the required transmission system capacity is not available on the transmission system, the capacity expansion of the exit point shall be initiated with the transmission system operator on the basis of paragraph 3.3 of the Code. The connection can be performed on the natural gas distribution system in the event of approval of, and in coordination with, the transmission system development. If, in addition to the expansion of a gas delivery station, the development of the transmission system is also required, it shall be included in the 10-year development proposal, the implementation of which may take place after acceptance and approval thereof by the Authority.
3.2.2. Connection to the transmission system
a) The transmission system operator shall appraise connection applications submitted to it as follows.
b) For appraisal of a connection request, a feasibility study shall be conducted which determines the technical and financial conditions of connection:
i. If development necessary for installing the connection requested in the application is included in the 10-year development plan and the conditions of refusal defined in paragraph 3.2.1 of the Code do not exist, the transmission system operator shall approve it.
ii. If development required for installing the connection point is not included in the development plan and the conditions of refusal defined in paragraph 3.2.1 of the Code do not exist, the transmission system operator shall agree with the applicant on the potential technical and expected financial preconditions of connection. If the applicant accepts the technical and financial conditions of connection, the transmission system operator shall include it in its next 10-year development proposal, provided that the natural gas pipeline or compressor station requires development.
c) Financing against the connection fee shall be included in the licence application submitted to the Authority.
d) The amount of the connection fee shall become final upon issuance of the license.
e) The transmission system operator shall assess the feasibility of installing a connection point on the basis of financing considerations, in view of the following:
i. installation of a connection point increasing the transmission system operating fee;
ii. installation of a connection point not increasing the transmission system operating fee.
f) The detailed rules shall be contained in the transmission system operator’s business code.
3.2.3. Connection to the natural gas distribution system
a) For appraisal of a connection request, a feasibility study shall be conducted which determines the technical and financial conditions of connection:
i. If the necessary free capacity is available for the requested connection and the demand meets the general conditions of connection and, furthermore, no grounds for rejecting connection exist, the distribution system operator shall provide the purchased capacity after payment of the connection fee for connecting to the interconnected natural gas system, specified in the resolution of the Authority.
ii. If the free capacity required for installing the connection point is not available at the entry-exit point but the demand meets the general conditions of connection and, furthermore, no grounds for rejecting connection exist, the distribution system operator shall agree with the applicant on the potential technical and financial conditions of connection.
b) If the expected capacity demand, as calculated with the simultaneity factor, of the users supplied from the system connected to the gas delivery station exceeds the technical capacity of the gas delivery station, the distribution system operator shall inform the transmission system operator of the modified capacity demand. If the transmission system operator informs the distribution system operator that the required free capacity is not available on the transmission system, the tasks laid down in paragraph 3.2.2 of the Code shall also be performed in the course of connection.
c) In the case of a new capacity-charge user wishing to connect, the user shall, in reporting its connection request, indicate the hourly and daily capacity (kWh/hour and m3/hour and kWh/day) and the annual quantity (kWh/year) intended to be taken off at the user’s location.
d) A new base-rate user intending to connect to the natural gas distribution system shall, in reporting its request for connection to the network, supply the distribution system operator with data necessary for classification into the natural gas distribution profile specified in Annex II to the Code.
e) A new user intending to connect to the network shall, in reporting its request to connection to the network, indicate the hourly capacity and the annual quantity to be taken off at the user’s location.
3.2.4. Interconnection of natural gas distribution and transmission systems
a) The natural gas distribution network shall be connected to the transmission pipeline through gas delivery stations. The outlet pressure of the gas delivery station is equal to the operating inlet pressure of the natural gas distribution pipeline.
b) In the event that the distribution system operator intends to change the transfer pressure compared to the pressure value agreed upon on the basis of Chapter 1.8 of the Code while the capacity demand remains unchanged, the interconnection agreement concluded with the transmission system operator shall be amended. The parties shall agree on the technical and financial conditions of transformation.
c) It shall be the applicant’s obligation to obtain permits and approvals necessary for a pressure increase on the distribution system operator’s side. The transmission system operator shall act in accordance with its business code regarding the reimbursement of any costs that may be incurred in connection with the transformation of the transmission system.
d) The overpressure protection of the gas delivery station shall ensure that the pressure in the natural gas distribution network does not rise, even temporarily, above the maximum incidental pressure (MIP) determined by the distribution system operator according to the relevant standard , or above the permitted pressure, which shall be specified in the relevant agreement.
e) An additional condition of connection shall be for both the gas delivery station and the natural gas distribution network to have a valid occupancy permit issued by the territorially competent mining authority or on the basis of the operator's quality assurance system.
f) The connection of the natural gas distribution pipeline to the transmission system requires the transmission system operator’s declarations of acceptance of the capacity and the technical solution.
4. Business Code
II.5.2.5. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONNECTING TO THE NETWORK
If the conditions precedent stipulated in Annex No. 3 of the Business Code for connecting to the natural gas transmission network, the Company enters into a contract (Annex no. 4.8. to the Business Code) with the applicant regarding the connection.
The financial and technical conditions of the connection to the natural gas transmission system are defined in Annex No. 3, the connection fee is included in the relevant decision of MEKH H2291_2021.pdf (mekh.hu) (accessible only in Hungarian).