By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The final touches are being added for the commercial launch of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline connecting Greece and Bulgaria according to the set schedule, Azernews reports per ICGB AD.

ICGB Executive Officers Teodora Georgieva and George Satlas stated that all facilities are complete and in operational readiness, adding that there is an expectation that the construction contractor will complete the gas pipeline’s management system in the next ten days.

"So that from October 1 Bulgaria and Greece could receive the first quantities of natural gas from IGB. We are about to purchase more quantities of natural gas to additionally test the interconnector at a higher pressure than the usual operational levels, in sync with the highest standards in the industry," they said after a meeting on site with the Greek construction company AVAX.

In parallel with the finishing works carried out by the EPC contractor, ICGB continues the coordination of the administrative procedures in Bulgaria and Greece necessary for the issuance of all permits for the use of the infrastructure and its legal commissioning.

"At the moment, we have submitted more than 95 percent of all the required documents to NBCD for preliminary review and approval, so as to help speed up convening a commission to issue Act 16 for Bulgaria and, accordingly, a Permit for Use. Consumers and businesses are counting on us to be operational from October 1 and to help reduce energy prices during the heating season, so for us, there is no higher priority than that," Teodora Georgieva said.

Moreover, George Satlas pointed out that the Greek side is making active efforts to have the IGB ready on time, as this is important not only for the two host countries but also for the entire region, given the complicated international situation and Europe's consistent efforts to fully diversify its natural gas supplies.

He noted that the necessary permits for the operation of the gas pipeline on the territory of Greece are expected to be issued by mid-September.

The commercial operation of IGB is of key importance to fortify the security of supply and to ensure the diversification of natural gas sources for Bulgaria and the region of South-Eastern Europe. The project connects Bulgaria to the Southern Gas Corridor and will enable secure supplies from various sources to a number of CSEE countries, including Moldova and Ukraine.

The IGB gas pipeline is designed to connect 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 is 32'' and a design capacity of up to 3 billion m3/year in the direction of Greece - Bulgaria.

The pipeline is designed to increase its capacity up to 5 bcm/y depending on market interest and the capacities of neighboring gas transmission systems.

The opening ceremony of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria was held in Komotini on July 8.