Greece supports expansion of TAP, IGB – deputy minister
“Greece supports the expansion of TAP and IGB. These two infrastructures are pivotal for diversifying gas export sources and routes in Southeast Europe,” deputy minister of environment and energy Alexandra Sdoukou, said in her speech at the 10th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council’s meeting in Baku.
Greece supports the efforts for increasing rhe capacity of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), said the country’s deputy minister of environment and energy Alexandra Sdoukou, Trend reports via the ministry.
“Greece supports the expansion of TAP and IGB. These two infrastructures are pivotal for diversifying gas export sources and routes in Southeast Europe,” Sdoukou said in her speech at the 10th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council’s meeting in Baku.
The deputy minister underscored Greece's commitment to bolstering the region's energy security through the development of crucial gas transportation networks.
The Deputy Minister emphasized the necessity of incorporating hydrogen into the Southern Gas Corridor, highlighting its significance for the project's long-term sustainability. Sdoukou stressed that Greece advocates for the integration of hydrogen and other renewable gases into existing infrastructures, alongside the establishment of new hydrogen facilities.
The Trans Adriatic Pipeline is part of the Southern Gas Corridor, transporting natural gas to Europe from the Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan.
Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline at the Greek-Turkish border, TAP crosses Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network. TAP’s initial capacity is 10 billion cubic meters per year, which can be expanded to 20 billion cubic meters.
The IGB gas pipeline connects 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 Greece - Bulgaria. Depending on the market interest for larger capacity and the possibilities of the neighboring gas transmission systems, the capacity of IGB is designed with the option for increase up to 5 billion m3/year with additional construction of a compressor station.