site.btaConstruction of Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria in Greece Gets Green-Lit

114 ECONOMY - GREECE - BULGARIA - INTERCONNECTOR

Construction of Gas Interconnector
Greece-Bulgaria in Greece
Gets Green-Lit


Athens/Sofia, February 13 (BTA) - Greece's Minister of Environment and Energy George Stathakis has provided the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) with an installation permit for the start of construction works on Greek territory, the ICBG company implementing the project said on Wednesday. The decision will enter into force upon publication in Greece's Government Gazette, which will happen in several days.

Bulgaria gave the green light to the construction of IGB on its territory in September 2017.

The last step related to the obtainment of permits prior to the start of the construction works in Greece is the acquisition of a licence for independent transmission system operator, which Greece's Regulatory Authority for Energy is expected to issue in the second half of 2019.

The IGB project will provide a direct link between the national natural gas systems of Greece and Bulgaria. The pipeline will have an approximate diameter of 813 mm and an overall length of 182 km, with a transportation capacity of approximately 3 bNcm/y of natural gas from Greece to Bulgaria.

The project is being implemented by the ICBG AD joint venture company, registered in Bulgaria in 2011 by the State-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding EAD and IGI Poseidon S.A., with each shareholder owning 50 per cent. IGI Poseidon is a Greek-registered company with DEPA S.A. (Greece) and Edison SpA (Italy) as shareholders.

RY/DS
/ДЛ/