SOFIA, Oct 1 (Reuters) – Greece and Bulgaria began industrial operation of a long-delayed gasoline pipeline on Saturday which is able to assist lower southeast Europe’s dependence on Russian gasoline and increase vitality safety.
The 182-km pipeline will present a aid to Bulgaria, which has been struggling to safe gasoline provides at inexpensive costs for the reason that finish of April, when Russia’s Gazprom (GAZP.MM) minimize off deliveries over Sofia’s refusal to pay in roubles.
Russia has decreased its gasoline deliveries to Europe after the West imposed sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, leaving European Union international locations scrambling to safe different provides amid surging costs.
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“This pipeline is a recreation changer. It is a recreation changer for Bulgaria and for Europe’s vitality safety. And it means freedom. It means freedom from dependency on Russian gasoline,” European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned throughout an inauguration ceremony in Sofia attended by the leaders of Bulgaria, Greece, Azerbaijan, Romania, Serbia and North Macedonia.
“Each right here in Bulgaria and throughout Europe individuals are feeling the implications of Russia’s warfare. However due to tasks like this, Europe may have sufficient gasoline for the winter,” she mentioned.
The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) pipeline will transport 1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Azeri gasoline to Bulgaria.
With an preliminary capability of three bcm per 12 months and plans to later elevate this to five bcm, the pipeline may present non-Russian gasoline to neighbouring Serbia, North Macedonia, Romania and additional to Moldova and Ukraine.
It’ll carry gasoline from the northern Greek metropolis of Komotini to Stara Zagora in Bulgaria. IGB is linked to a different pipeline, a part of Southern Fuel Hall that carries Azeri gasoline to Europe.
On Friday, gasoline operators in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia proposed to move elevated Azeri shipments by way of their networks to central Europe. learn extra
The 240 million euro ($235.18 million) pipeline is managed by a three way partnership between Bulgarian state vitality firm BEH, Greek gasoline utility DEPA and Italy’s Edison (EDNn.MI).
($1 = 1.0205 euros)
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Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; Further reporting by Kate Abbnet in Brussels and George Georgiopoulos in Athens; Enhancing by Mike Harrison
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