Commercial operation of the pipeline may start after the successful completion of test operations, the ministry said. The pipeline has a permit for a 180-day test run, which began on January 2, it added.

The pipelineʼs Hungarian operator, Magyar Gáz Tranzit, together with Slovak peer Eustream, on Friday announced the Assessment of Capacity Demand, Capacity Booking and Capacity Sales procedure, or Open Season, for the pipeline for the period from July 1, 2015 until September 30, 2016.

Eustream and Magyar Gáz Tranzit are offering a fixed capacity of 11,4000 MWh/d in the direction of Hungary and interruptible capacity of 45,600 MWh/d in the direction of Slovakia, Eustream said. The capacity offered within the Open Season procedure shall be available to the successful participants from July 1, 2015, Eustream said.