site.btaMinister Petkova: Strategic Partnership with US Key for Region's Energy Diversification

October 1 (BTA) - Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova Thursday said that Bulgaria and the US are strategic partners in the field of energy and that is a key factor for the diversification of energy suppliers not only in Bulgaria but also in the entire region. She was speaking at a meeting with US Department of State's Bureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Francis R. Fannon, who is paying a visit to Bulgaria, the Energy Ministry reported. The meeting was also attended by US Ambassador to Bulgaria Herro Mustafa.

Bulgaria is actively working on guaranteeing energy security and values highly the United States' support for the implementation of the priority infrastructure projects in this field: the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal near Alexandroupoli, the Energy Ministry said.

In Petkova's words, the IGB project is a key priority of the Government in the energy sector. She acquainted her guest with the progress in the project's implementation. The Energy Minister confirmed the Government's strong commitment to the successful construction of the interconnector as infrastructure of strategic importance to the security of gas supplies in Southeast Europe.

Fannon praised Bulgaria's progress in the implementation of its priorities for energy diversification, and confirmed his country's support for these efforts, the Energy Ministry reported. He said the US praises Bulgaria's participation in the Alexandroupoli LNG terminal. Prior to his visit to Bulgaria, he and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Greece, where a significant part of the talks focused on energy diversification and energy security in the region.

Petkova stressed that Bulgaria views the construction of the IGB in synergy with the participation in the Alexandroupoli LNG terminal project. By participating in these projects, Bulgaria is achieving actual diversification of the gas sources and supply routes, and is becoming a key factor in this process in the region, she noted. Petkova praised the US' support for Bulgaria becoming a regional energy hub.

Minister Petkova and Fannon also discussed the progress achieved in the project for diversifying the fresh nuclear fuel for the Kozloduy power plant, the Energy Ministry said.

According to an online article of the 24 Chassa daily, Fannon told journalists after his meeting with Petkova that the US considers the Belene nuclear plant project bad from a commercial and technical point of view, and incapable of ensuring Bulgaria's energy security. According to him, the Russian equipment for Belene is technologically outdated and Russia refuses to use it on its own territory.

Taking a question by 24 Chassa on whether the US sanctions against the TurkStream gas pipeline project would also apply to the Balkan Stream project (the Bulgarian branch of TurkStream), Fannon said that regardless of the difference in the names of the projects, the US views Balkan Stream and TurkStream as one and the same pipeline. He specified, as quoted by the daily, that the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act directed against TurkStream does not oblige the US to impose sanctions but to use various means to ensure the Act's implementation. "Our goal is not to impose sanctions but to change a given behaviour. Therefore, we are in the process of holding talks, and we will continue to do so," he said.

RY/DS

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