Minister Malinov insisted on decisive and urgent measures to bring the liquefied gas terminal near Alexandroupolis into operation
“The liquefied gas terminal near Alexandroupolis is key to diversifying energy supply and ensuring the security of the region. The implementation of the project is one of our main priorities, as its infrastructure is expected to deliver liquefied gas from the U.S.A. and others to consumers in Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Moldova and Ukraine”. That is what Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov said at a meeting with the management of the project company Gaztrade S.A. and representatives of some of the other shareholders in the LNG project near Alexandroupolis. The Energy Minister is part of the official delegation of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev visiting Athens, Greece.
We recall that the Bulgarian side is a co-shareholder in the project, with Bulgartransgaz EAD holding 20% of the share capital of the project company Gaztrade S.A. The initially approved by the shareholders schedule envisaged the infrastructure to be put into exploitation in April 2024. A technical defect was identified at the beginning of the connecting activities of the liquefied gas platform with the pipeline.
An agreement was reached at the meeting that a clear plan with specific technical solutions would be drawn up by 15 July in order start operation in the shortest possible timeline. "I believe that Gaztrade should take decisive measures to correct the defect and bring the facility into operation within this calendar year. Further delays are completely unacceptable in view of the strategic importance of the terminal for supplying energy to the region,“ Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov stressed. In his words, after the potential suspension of Russian natural gas transport through Ukrainian territory from the beginning of next year, alternative supplies will play a leading role in the European energy system.