BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 22. The interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) entered the current gas year with over 82 percent of its capacity booked, Teodora Georgieva, Executive Officer of ICGB, the pipeline operator, said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
“IGB’s providing for nearly a half of Bulgaria’s internal consumption needs especially now, in the winter season. All other quantities are being transported beyond our network, including via the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, to reach other European markets. Currently, IGB has over 20 registered network users, most of which are European companies,” she said.
Georgieva pointed out that ICGB’s top strategic goal right now is its commitment to expand the pipeline’s technical capacity to reach 5 bcm/y.
“As mentioned, we’ve already selected a contractor for the design phase for GMS Stara Zagora. Upon completion, procurement and construction are to follow and our team will be working to prepare these procedures as a priority.
We also have presented for public consultation the draft project proposals for IP Komotini with the Greek national operator and for IP Stara Zagora with the Bulgarian national operator. With last year’s annual auction and the company’s strategic decision to offer quasi-annual capacity at the IP with DESFA to allow transport of quantities from the FSRU in Alexandroupolis upon launch, IGB entered the current gas year with over 82 percent of its capacity booked. This number remains dynamic as we continue carrying out monthly, weekly, and daily auctions offering the remaining capacity at each IP on the PRSIMA platform and the RBP. I must say that the market’s interest in this route remains high and with the LNG terminal in Greek launching soon, there are prerequisites to expecting a solid increase in the route’s significance for the region,” she added.
The IGB gas pipeline connects with the Greek national gas transmission system (DESFA S.A.) and the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP AG) in the area of Komotini (Greece), and with the Bulgarian gas transmission system (Bulgartransgaz EAD) in the area of Stara Zagora. The total length of the gas pipeline is 182 km, the diameter of the pipe - 32'' - and a design capacity of up to 3 billion m3/year in the direction Greece - Bulgaria. Depending on the market interest for larger capacity and the possibilities of the neighboring gas transmission systems, the capacity of IGB is designed with the option for increase up to 5 billion m3/year with additional construction of a compressor station.
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