Baku, Azerbaijan, April 3. The interconnector
between Greece and Bulgaria continues to play a major role in the
diversification and security of natural gas supply for Bulgaria and
the wider region, Teodora Georgieva, Executive Officer of ICGB, the
pipeline operator said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the occasion of
the upcoming Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council’s meeting in
Baku April 4.
“One of our key priorities at the upcoming Southern Gas Corridor
meeting will be reinforcing the potential for additional gas
volumes from Azerbaijan – not only for Bulgaria, but for the SEE
region overall. As a strategic and reliable partner, Azerbaijan
already supplies over 40% of Bulgaria’s gas consumption via IGB — a
share that demonstrates both the importance of this route and the
trust in its stability,” she said.
Georgieva noted that the company will also emphasize the
significance of long-term cooperation within the framework of the
Vertical Gas Corridor (VGC), of which ICGB is a key
participant.
“The connection with TAP and the broader SGC infrastructure
enables a strategic east-to-north flow, securing access not only
for Bulgaria but also for Central and Eastern Europe, and
potentially for Ukraine and Moldova through the Trans-Balkan
pipeline,” the executive officer noted.
She went on to add that ICGB continues preparatory activities
within the scope of the Vertical Gas Corridor initiative.
“We believe this is a strategic, visionary decision that will
contribute to Europe’s energy security and independence. A
technical design has been completed for the expansion of the Stara
Zagora gas metering station, technical specifications are in place
for the Komotini site, and permitting processes are being updated.
Work is underway for the procurement documentation, ensuring that
when there’s a green light, implementation can begin without delay.
Another open issue remains the financing of the expansion, with the
company’s preference being to secure grant-based funding to support
the project. This is of extreme importance so that we’re able to
maintain highly competitive model that’s attractive to network
users,” noted Georgieva.
She added that importantly, no pipeline shutdowns for
maintenance are planned for 2025. “The focus remains on ensuring
the pipeline’s continuous operation at optimal capacity while
reinforcing our operational resilience and preparedness.”
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