Minister Malinov: Alexandroupolis liquefied gas terminal will be put in operation on 1st October
The technical defect in linking the liquefied gas platform to Alexandroupolis has been remedied
"Once the technical defect in linking the LNG regasification platform to Alexandroupolis has been remedied, the terminal will be commissioned on 1 October 2024. All licensing procedures have already been completed". This was confirmed by Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov, who, together with representatives of the Gaztrade project company S.A., inspected the completed activities, on site, on the board of the platform in Alexandroupolis, Greece.
It is recalled that, according to the timetable initially approved by the shareholders, the terminal was due to be commissioned in April 2024. After the start of operations to connect the liquefied gas platform to the gas pipeline, a defect was found, namely presence of water in the pipeline. The technical failure was remedied using the so-called "non-intrusive method", by delivering gas in a controlled manner from the regasification platform to the Greek gas transmission system. That did not incur additional financial cost for the project.
"By 15 August, all companies that will deliver liquefied natural gas to the terminal are expected to declare their number of cargoes. The exact slots for these companies will also be allocated by the end of August," Minister Malinov commented. He stressed that the launch of the Alexandroupolis terminal on 1 October would also coincide with the start of the upcoming gas year. "The start of commercial operation of the terminal this autumn will give a competitive advantage and ensure security of gas supply for the upcoming winter season for the Southeast European region, in view of the potential suspension of Russian natural gas transportation through Ukrainian territory as of the beginning of next year," Minister Malinov underlined. The project is of strategic importance and provides an important corridor for LNG supplies from alternative sources for the whole region.
