The Greece-Bulgaria interconnector may see its capacity boosted from the current 3 bcm/y to a total 5 bcm/y as early as 2025. With the incremental capacity process currently ongoing, ICGB is scheduling the next steps in coordination with adjacent transmission system operators.
“With the non-binding phase of the process completed, we received indications for significant market interest in expanding the pipeline’s capacity. The binding phase will come in July 2024 – when energy traders and shippers commit to booking capacity”, said ICGB’s Executive Officers George Satlas and Teodora Georgieva during a meeting of the TSOs under the Vertical Gas Corridor (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary).
According to them, ICGB has already completed the Demand Assessment Reports as a next step in the process, initiating joint technical studies for increase of the capacity at the interconnection points of the pipeline with the adjacent network systems in Greece and Bulgaria. “ICGB has played a very active role in setting up the process and coordinating with our neighboring TSOs to push for optimized timeline for the expansion. The sooner we’re all ready, the better for local communities and businesses. Investing in new, well-connected infrastructure will strengthen the region’s energy independence. If we’re consistently joining efforts in providing diversified routes and sources for natural gas deliveries, this will have a positive impact on all consumers in our countries”, Georgieva and Satlas noted.
Taking another step in that direction, ICGB with the support of all Vertical Gas Corridor TSOs welcomed the national transmission system operators of Moldova and Ukraine to the working session. “It is our joint goal to strengthen and grow this initiative in the future, ensuring access to diversified sources of natural gas to the benefit of more nations in Central and Eastern Europe”, said ICGB’s Executive Officers. ICGB initiates and fully supports expanding the Vertical Gas Corridor in the future with Moldova, Ukraine and the system operator for the EastMed project.
For more information:
Diana Zaykova : diana.z@actionprgroup.com
+ 359 885 074 422, +359 885 614 131
Rossitza Donkova: rossitza.d@actionprgroup.com
+359 (02) 9803018, +359 888 343 661
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The IGB (Greece-Bulgaria Gas Interconnector) project is being implemented by the joint venture company ICGB AD, registered in Bulgaria in 2011 with shareholders BEH EAD (50%) and IGI Poseidon (50%). The co-shareholder IGI Poseidon is a company registered in Greece, with shareholders the Greek company DEPA International Projects (50%) and the Italian energy group Edison S.p.A (50%).
In accordance with its charter, ICGB AD is the owner of the IGB gas pipeline, financing its implementation, distributing its transmission capacity and receiving revenues from the transmission of natural gas.
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.
For more information visit https://www.icgb.eu
