Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov attended on Monday the signing ceremony for the participation of Bulgartransgaz to the liquefied gas terminal project in Alexandroupolis, northern Greece. The cooperation contract was signed by Bulgartransgaz EAD CEO Vladimir Malinov and Asimina-Eleni Kopeluzu, who is a major shareholder in Gastrade SA. – the project company that will implement the liquefied natural gas terminal.
“With the signing of an agreement between the shareholders, this large investment is set in motion with the ultimate goal of turning our easternmost port into a global energy hub,” Mitsotakis said.
“The gas will be liquefied and will meet the national natural gas network and from there it will be channeled at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023 to Greece, Bulgaria and the whole of southeastern and central Europe,” the Greek Premier added.
With the signature, Bulgartransgaz becomes an equal shareholder in the project for a liquefied natural gas terminal near Alexandroupolis.
According to local media, Bulgaria’s participation in the project is strategically important for the diversification and security of energy supply not only in the country itself but also in the whole region.
The terminal near Alexandroupolis will be the second liquefied natural gas facility in the region, after the one in Revithusa, Greece, to which Bulgaria has access.
A modern high-tech floating terminal for reception, storage and regasification of liquefied natural gas will be built.
The planned capacity of the terminal for regasification and supply to the Greek gas transmission network amounts to 6.1 billion m2 per year. The storage capacity is 170 thousand m³ of liquefied natural gas. The commercial operation of the facility is planned to start by the end of 2022.
The project contributes to the implementation of the overall concept of the Balkan Gas Hub, which provides for the connection and development of the necessary gas transmission infrastructure to connect the natural gas markets of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
