Slovak Gas Pipeline Offers More Capacity for Shipments to Ukraine

Slovak gas pipeline operator Eustream said on Tuesday it would offer additional capacity in its new link allowing shipments from the European Union to Ukraine, raising possible deliveries by about 17 percent.

Eustream said it was launching "open season" bidding process for capacity of 4.5 million cubic metres per day, in addition to about 27 mcm -- which amounts to about 10 bcm per year -- available since the pipeline was opened in September.

"Eustream provides additional pipeline capacity of 4.5 million cubic meters per day (46,800 MWh) in response to technical measures taken at the Ukrainian side," the company said in a statement.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Robert Muller)