Interview with Teodor Detchev Ph.D., associate professor at the Higher School of Security and Economics (HSSE) in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, head of the Laboratory on the Problems of the Black Sea and Caspian Region
How do you assess the level of Azerbaijani-Bulgarian relations?
Over 15.5 million megawatt-hours (MWh) were transported on the Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnection in 2023. The project celebrated its first anniversary and successfully achieved 365 days of operation without interruption of activities.
According to a CEWR announcement from January 1, 2024, the Commission for Energy and Water Regulation approved the price of natural gas for the month of January in the amount of BGN 77.60 per megawatt hour (MWh), excluding access, transmission, excise and VAT prices. At this price, Bulgargaz JSC will sell natural gas to final suppliers and to persons who have been issued a license for the production and transmission of thermal energy.
On May 18, 2023: Greece's Copelouzos Group, through its subsidiaries DAMCO ENERGY and ELICA MEDITERRANEAN INTERCONNECTION, and Infinity Power, a joint venture between Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) and Egypt's Infinity, signed a memorandum of understanding. The companies will cooperate on a non-exclusive basis to jointly develop renewable energy projects that will also provide a source of green energy for the GREGY electrical interconnector.
The Greek "Copelouzos Group" participated in the event "Energy Interconnection Europe-Egypt", organized by the Permanent Representation Office of the European Union in Cairo and the Swedish Embassy under the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU. John Karidas, CEO of Copelouzos Group's RES business unit, presented the key benefits and opportunities that the commissioning of the Egypt-Greece GREGY electricity connection will open up for Egypt and Greece, as well as for Europe as a whole.
The capacity of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), which has 15 gas traders as registered users, was booked by 90 percent in February, Teodora Georgieva, chief executive director of ICGB company, the pipeline operator, said, Trend reports.
Moreover, she noted that in December, with over 90 percent of its capacity booked, IGB transported gas to Moldova.
Natural gas in Bulgaria has fallen in price since April 1, , Trend reports citing the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission.
The Commission approved on Saturday the price of gas in April in the amount of 98.16 leva (about 49.8 euros) per 1 MWh without additional payments, while in March it was 106.74 leva ( about 53.37 euros).
Around 4.875 million megawatt hours were transported through the Greece-Bulgaria gas pipeline (IGB) for the period October 1 - December 31, 2022, the ICGB, the pipeline operator, told Trend.
“In December, just months after the pipeline entered commercial operation, IGB’s capacity reached over 94 percent booking rate. By the end of 2022, there are 11 registered users of the interconnector,” said the company.
Prof. Teodor Detchev, Higher School of Security and Economics, head of "Blacksea Caspia" in "The World is Business", 04.01.2023
Activities for the implementation of the stages specified in the Construction Permit for the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector are progressing and are being implemented by the Greek construction company AVAX.
These activities do not interfere with the independent functioning of the gas pipeline, which is why the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works MRDPW approved their separation into separate stages of construction.
