BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 15. Investment in transition infrastructure like the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) requires clearer EU support mechanisms, said Teodora Georgieva, Executive Officer at ICGB, during her participation at the Budapest LNG Summit, Trend reports.
She emphasized Bulgaria’s growing role as a strategic hub in Southeast Europe through the IGB pipeline’s key role. Part of the Southern Gas Corridor and the Vertical Gas Corridor at the same time, the interconnector is vital for ensuring diversified gas flows to the region, including Ukraine and Moldova.
With the planned expansion of the IGB pipeline to 5 bcm/y, Georgieva outlined the progress made, the challenges encountered, and the long-term strategic importance of the interconnector for Europe’s energy resilience.
"To accelerate the energy transition in a truly sustainable way, we must balance ambition with realism. Investment in transition infrastructure like IGB is essential – but it requires clearer EU support mechanisms that reflect today’s commercial realities," she noted. "Amid lower Russian natural gas deliveries and increasing strategic urgency, Europe’s LNG imports are projected to surge by 25% in 2025 - adding nearly 30 billion cubic meters", Georgieva added, discussing the need for Europe to cover strong storage injection needs and diversify supply.
In addition to the panel discussions, ICGB held engaging discussions and productive meetings with representatives of all key regional TSOs, resulting in a set of concrete action points for joint next steps.
The Greece-Bulgaria interconnector connects Bulgaria to the Southern Gas Corridor and is part of the Vertical Gas Corridor. The pipeline strengthens energy connectivity and security in the region, providing access to natural gas from new, diversified sources. Currently operating at 3 bcm/y, the pipeline has the potential to expand its technical capacity up to 5 bcm/y. The interconnector currently secures about 70 percent of Bulgaria’s internal natural gas consumption and is a reliable route for diversified deliveries to key markets such as Moldova and Ukraine.
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