site.btaEnergy Minister Petkova: Southern Gas Corridor Boosts Energy Security in Europe

Sofia, February 11 (BTA) - "The successful implementation of the strategic project for the Southern Gas Corridor is a crucial part of what has been achieved with regards to the diversification of gas supplies in the past six years. The project boosts the energy security of Bulgaria, Southeastern Europe and the whole EU," said Bulgarian Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova during the seventh Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council on Thursday.

Energy ministers of more than ten countries and representatives of the European Union, the World Bank, the European Bank for Development and the Asian Development Bank discussed the implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor, the completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and other key energy projects such as the gas interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece (IGB) and the Southern Caucasus Pipeline (SCPX). This year, the meeting which is traditionally held in Baku, took place via video conference.

Minister Petkova said that the energy sector of EU countries is faced with serious challenges, among which is the security of energy supplies in the long term. Diversification of sources and routes for natural gas supplies and the liberalization of the natural gas market are among the key priorities of the Bulgarian government and through their implementation Bulgaria will successfully tackle this challenge, added Petkova.

Following up on these priorities, as of December 31 2020 Bulgaria has been receiving Azeri natural gas along the Southern Gas Corridor. With the implementation of a contract for the supply of 1 bln cu m of natural gas annually from the Shah Deniz gas field in the next 25 years, Azerbaijan will become Bulgaria's second gas supplier.

Bulgaria is an integral part of the development of the Southern Gas Corridor through the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector which has an important geostrategic significance to the diversification of gas supplies, added Minister Petkova. According to her, the project is key to the implementation of a joint initiative between Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary for the construction of a Vertical Gas Corridor for gas supplies from the South to the North. Despite the delay of the project due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Corridor is expected to be commissioned in the second half of 2021.

Minister Petkova underscored the role of the intersystem connectivity with neighbouring countries and the participation of Bulgartransgaz as a shareholder in the LNG terminal at Alexandroupolis in achieving the strategic objectives in relation to diversification of gas supplies.

During the meeting representatives of ICGB joint venture company said that currently the contracts for the manufacture and delivery of the pipes for the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector has been successfully completed. Some 160 km from the 182-km route have been cleared and pipes have been laid out over 130 km of the route in preparation for the next stage of construction. In the next few days pipes over 100 km are expected to be welded. The Greek company Avax which is in charge of the design and the construction of the interconnector projects that it will be completed at the end of 2021.

The interconnector is part of the Vertical Gas Corridor (Greece-Bulgaria), which supplies natural gas from the Southern Gas Corridor and LNG to Southeast and Central Europe as well as Ukraine. NV/PP

/NZ/

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By 05:16 on 05.08.2024 Today`s news

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