site.btaEnergy Minister Pays Working Visit to United States

January 28 (BTA) - During a working visit to the
United States, a Bulgarian delegation led by Energy Minister
Temenouzhka Petkova discussed opportunities to promote bilateral
 relations, Petkova's ministry reported on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Minister talked with Under Secretary of Energy
Mark Menezes, President Donald Trump's Deputy Assistant for
International Economic Affairs Thomas Storch, Assistant
Secretary of State for Energy Resources Francis Fannon,
Commercial Service Deputy Director General Dale Tasharski,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of
International Security and Nonproliferation Ann Ganzer, and
representatives of the US liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.

According to the press release, Bulgaria will continue to seek
diversification of the sources from which it receives natural
gas and the routes of supply. Bulgaria and the United States
have ample opportunities for cooperation in the field of LNG.

Petkova said that 50 per cent of natural gas consumption in
Bulgaria will be diversified by the end of this year. This means
 that 1.5 billion out of 3 billion cubic metres of gas consumed
annually in the country will come from sources other than
Russia. These will include Azerbaijan and the United States.

LNG deliveries from the United States to Bulgaria began in June
2019. By the end of 2019, Bulgaria received half a billion cubic
 metres of LNG. Petkova commented: "This was an important step
forward in building a transparent, financially liquid and
reliable market in natural gas not only in Bulgaria but also in
the region."

During her meeting with Under Secretary of Energy Mark Menezes,
Petkova presented the progress achieved in infrastructure
projects of key importance to Bulgaria, including the
construction of the Greece-Bulgaria Gas Interconnector.

Talking with the President's Deputy Assistant Thomas Storch,
Petkova said: "The United States is a strategic partner to
Bulgaria in the field of energy." The Energy Ministry in Sofia
recalled in its press release that an agreement to continue
bilateral energy cooperation was reached between Prime Minister
Boyko Borissov and President Donald Trump when they met in the
White House last November.

Petkova also told Storch that cooperation between Bulgaria and
the United States will help her country reinforce its energy
security and diversify its energy supplies. She said Bulgaria
appreciates the support provided by the US partners for major
infrastructure projects, such as the building of the
Greece-Bulgaria Gas Interconnector and the LNG terminal at the
Greek port of Alexandroupolis.

In the context of the two countries' strategic dialogue, US
experts in natural gas and nuclear energy will visit Bulgaria in
 the coming months. At Monday's meeting, Petkova and Storch
discussed the process of licensing US nuclear fuel for Bulgaria
as a way to diversify nuclear supplies.

Officials of Bulgarian energy companies are expected to meet
with LNG producers in Houston, Texas to consider increasing LNG
supplies to Bulgaria. RY/VE

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