BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan.10
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Bulgaria receives the maximum possible amount of Azerbaijani gas from the point from which it is currently supplied, said Svetoslav Delchev, an independent member of the board of directors of Bulgargaz, Trend reports with reference to BNT TV.
He denied allegations that Bulgargaz had not stated the maximum possible quantities of natural gas from Azerbaijan.
“Due to the lack of connection with Greece, our country cannot receive more than a third of what was agreed, because this is the possible amount of gas that we can get from the point through which we are currently supplied. Due to the delayed construction of the gas pipeline to Greece, Bulgaria suffers negatives. Our country continues to buy Azerbaijani gas at the agreed prices,” added Delchev.
The IGB project enables the transmission of gas and supplies from new sources, making it key to Bulgaria's energy security and part of the national plan for diversification of gas sources. The capacity of the project is 3 billion cubic meters with the option to reach 5 billion cubic meters. Half of the capacity of the interconnector is already reserved, as four of the shippers are completely new to the Bulgarian market. A contract has been signed for the supply of 1 billion cubic meters from Shah Deniz 2 based on a long-term contract with Bulgargaz.
The conclusion of the contract for construction of the interconnector dates back from the end of 2019, as one of the main commitments of the project company in structuring IGB is the obligation to control costs within the approved budget, which will ensure competitive transmission for customers. The delay in construction activities and the approved update of the construction schedule for the end of 2021 are due to objective reasons related to the global coronavirus pandemic and do not lead to direct losses. The established alternative route through the Greek system and Siderokastro provides a temporary solution for servicing the contract with Azerbaijan until IGB is put into commercial operation.
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