site.btaThere Has Been no Significant Change in Natural Gas Flows through Bulgaria since Beginning of 2025, Bulgartransgaz told BTA

In the period from January 1-3 of 2025, there was no significant change in natural gas flows through Bulgaria compared to the second half of December 2024, including at the Negru Voda/Kardam interconnection point through which volumes are transported towards Romania, Ukraine, Moldova and Hungary. This is what Bulgartransgaz told BTA when asked whether there are increased requests for transit through Bulgaria due to the suspension of natural gas supplies from Russia via Ukraine from January 1, 2025.

The transit of Russian natural gas through the territory of Ukraine stopped on January 1, as the contract between Kyiv and Moscow expired at the end of 2024. Kyiv refused to negotiate with Moscow on a new agreement on the transit of Russian natgas amid Russia's military invasion. The European Commission announced on December 30 that the European Union was ready to suspend gas transit. Europe's gas infrastructure is sufficiently flexible to provide gas supplies to Central and Eastern European countries via alternative routes, the Commission said.

Currently, Bulgartransgaz has spare capacity for transmission at interconnection points through which additional quantities of natural gas could potentially be supplied, the company added. The Bulgarian natural gas transmission and storage operator points out that it is fully prepared for a potential increase of natural gas transmission at the interconnection points with neighbouring operators up to their technical capacity, in case all the available transmission capacity is reserved and requested. Bulgartransgaz adds that, in accordance with European rules, the available spare capacity is offered in a transparent and non-discriminatory way at auctions, according to the auction calendar of the European Network of Transmission System Operators.

Asked about the progress of the Vertical Gas Corridor on the territory of Bulgaria, Bulgartransgaz commented that the projects of the Bulgarian company, part of the Vertical Gas Corridor initiative to increase the transmission capacities, are key to ensure the security of natural gas supply for the region. The contracts for the implementation of the projects have been signed after successful public procurement and are in the process of implementation without deviations from the schedules, the company added.

The necessary procedures under the environmental legislation are being carried out for the looping from Rupcha to Vetrino and the transmission pipeline from Piperevo to Pernik. In parallel, the spatial planning and design activities are being carried out.

The projects are scheduled to be completed in early 2026, but Bulgartransgaz's ambition is to put them into operation ahead of schedule - by the end of 2025, the Bulgarian gas operator added.