BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 5. The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) is in the final stage of hydraulic testing, said George Tasakos, head of the Department of Education and Networks of AVAX, the company engaged in the interconnector’s construction, Trend reports via Greek media.
“The 130 km have already been hydraulically tested and within the next 15 days the next 50 km will have been completed,” he noted.
Tasakos pointed out that the metering station in Stara Zagora, which will connect the pipeline to the gas system in Bulgaria, is ready mechanically, electrically and now the construction work is finished.
“There were very long delays not only in production but also in transportation, logistics and even delays that not only could not be affected, but you did not even know them. Why could it be due to the fact that the competent authorities in the country of production of the materials stopped the operation of the material production industry, or allowed its operation two days a week instead of seven, or there were no carriers to transport the materials to the port, or why ships were not allowed to dock, whether they entered the port and were quarantined, etc. It was and still is an unforeseen situation for which there is no precedent,” explained Tasakos.
He noted that the result of all this was delays in critical materials of the project, such as the valves that are placed along the main pipeline, the pipes and the fittings for the construction of the measuring stations in Komotini, which also affected the start time of the works in the (double) measuring station of Komotini, etc.
“Nevertheless, with more resources we managed to accelerate the activities and catch a goal that until recently was very difficult to believe that we could achieve”, he points out, emphasizing the company’s experience in major projects, which contributed significantly to mitigating the effects of the pandemic.
The IGB project is of key importance for increasing security of supply and for ensuring diversification of natural gas sources for Bulgaria and the region of Southeast Europe. At the regional level, IGB will provide access to the gas transmission network for Bulgarian municipalities and regions that didn’t have an option for connectivity. The interconnector with Greece is an entirely new route for the transmission of natural gas to Europe and will give Bulgaria and the region access to supplies from new sources. The project will connect the country with the Southern Gas Corridor and has excellent synergy with other major energy projects such as TAP, TANAP, EastMed and the LNG terminal at Alexandroupolis.
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