BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov.18
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
All contractors engaged with the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) are working hard on the project despite the increasingly challenging situation, ICGB AD, a project company, told Trend.
“There is significant progress on all major construction activities – deliveries from the final line pipe milestone have begun, over 72 km are welded and 150 km are cleared.
Lowering and backfilling activities have already begun both in Greece and Bulgaria.
All teams are working under strict measures for social distancing and personal hygiene; regular testing is provided for all workers involved on site.
Given the high priority of the project, all parties involved are dedicated to its completion to allow diversification of natural gas sources and improved security of the deliveries,” the company said.
According to the contract, the construction of the gas pipeline from Stara Zagora through Haskovo to Komotini should be ready by the end of April 2021. Due to the pandemic, however, AVAX has requested an extension until the end of June 2021.
So far, only 11 km of the route has been completely built.
IGB project envisages the construction of a gas interconnector that will link the gas transmission systems of Greece and Bulgaria. The total length of the gas pipeline is 182.6 km, and its capacity for gas transmission is 3 billion cubic meters per year with the option to reach 5 billion cubic meters.
The route of the gas pipeline is divided into 7 main lots, the shortest being 9.55 km long and the longest - 71.90 km. 106 km of the route in Bulgaria will be completed with automatic welding, and the remaining 45 km - by manual welding.
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