The finishing works on the interconnector with Greece are progressing according to schedule

The finishing works required for the introduction of the intersystem gas connection Greece-Bulgaria are progressing according to the set schedule.

"All facilities are complete and operational, we expect the builder to complete the gas pipeline management system in the next ten days, so that from October 1, Bulgaria will receive the first quantities of natural gas under the IGB. We are about to purchase more quantities of natural gas with which to test the entire interconnector at an even higher pressure than usual, in line with the highest standards in the industry," said Teodora Georgieva and Georgios Satlas, Executive Directors of the ICGB, after a meeting on field with the Greek construction company AVAX. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Arch. Ivan Shishkov and the head of DNCC Delyana Panayotova. (DNCC - Directorate of National Construction Control).

In parallel with the finishing works carried out by the builder, ICGB continues the coordination of the administrative procedures in Bulgaria and Greece, necessary for the issuance of all permits for the use of the infrastructure and its legal commissioning.

"At the moment, we have submitted more than 95% of all the required documents to the DNCC for preliminary review and approval, so as to help quickly convene a commission to issue Act 16 for Bulgaria and, accordingly, a Permit for Use. Consumers and businesses are counting on us to be operational from October 1st and to help reduce prices during the heating season, so for us there is no higher priority than that," said Teodora Georgieva, the executive director of ICGB from the Bulgarian side.

"The Greek side is making active efforts to have the IGB ready on time, as this is important not only for the two countries, but also for the entire region, given the complicated international situation and Europe's consistent efforts to fully diversify its natural gas supplies," he pointed out the executive director of the ICGB from the Greek side, Georgios Satlas. According to him, it is expected that the necessary permits for the operation of the gas pipeline on the territory of Greece will be issued by mid-September.

The IGB is of key importance for increasing the security of supply and for ensuring the diversification of natural gas sources for Bulgaria and the region of South-Eastern Europe. The project connects Bulgaria with the Southern Gas Corridor and will enable secure supplies from various sources to a number of countries in Central and South-Eastern Europe, including Moldova and Ukraine.

The IGB project (Greece-Bulgaria Intersystem Gas Connection) is implemented by the mixed investment company "ICGB" JSC, registered in Bulgaria in 2011 with shareholders BEH JSC (50%) and IGI Poseidon (50%). The co-shareholder IGI Poseidon is a company registered in Greece, with shareholders the Greek company DEPA International Projects (50%) and the Italian energy group Edison S.p.A (50%).

In accordance with its charter, ICGB JSC should be the owner of the IGB gas pipeline, financing its implementation, distributing its transmission capacity and receiving revenues from the transmission of natural gas.

The IGB gas pipeline is designed to connect with the Greek national gas transmission system (DESFA S.A.) and the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP AG) in the area of ​​Komotini (Greece), and with the Bulgarian gas transmission system (Bulgartransgaz EAD) in the area of ​​Stara Zagora. The total length of the gas pipeline is 182 km, the diameter of the pipe - 32'' - and a design capacity of up to 3 billion m3/year. in the direction of Greece-Bulgaria. Depending on the market interest in using a larger capacity and the possibilities of the neighboring gas transmission systems, the capacity is designed to increase to 5 billion m3/year. with additional construction of a compressor station.

Source: Diana Zaykova, 0885/074 422, 0885/614 131