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Bulgaria - Greece gas interconnector construction launched

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A decade after agreeing to connect the two countries' gas grids, ground has been broken on the construction of the €220-million gas interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece. The ceremony to mark the start of construction was attended by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov.

The link with provide Bulgaria with gas from Azerbaijan via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and may also receive liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Greek city of Alexandroupolis, on the Adriatic Sea.

European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič said in a statement: "The project will contribute to improving the energy security and to a more integrated regional gas market." 

ICGB, the company developing the gas link between the two countries, has chosen the Greek firm J&P-Avax to construct the interconnector under a contract of €144.8-million and another Greek company, Corinth Pipeworks Industry SA to supply the pipelines under a €58.23-million contract.

There have been repeated delays to the project despite securing financing from the EU early on. This means that ICGB is now working to tight deadline to complete the construction works before the end of 2020 when deliveries of Azeri gas from Shah Deniz 2 are set to begin.

At the ground breaking ceremony, Mr Borissov said that project was "a promise kept" to diversify natural gas deliveries, allowing South-East Europe access to a more diverse range of sources of gas, including from the soon-to-be boosted LNG imports from the US.

Eric Rubin, the US Ambassador to Bulgaria, said: “the promise of energy diversification and greater energy security not only for Bulgaria but also for the region.”

“Energy security is a critical part of national security, as well as a prerequisite for reliable and sustainable economic growth; we hope to see fast continued progress of this interconnector,” he continued.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said that the interconnector is a “project that strengthens the geopolitical role of Greece and Bulgaria.”

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