Μετάβαση στο κύριο περιεχόμενο

All main activities for the construction of the gas interconnector with Greece have been completed

Secondary activities are ongoing – they will be divided into stages according to their relevance for the start of commercial operation of the IGB pipeline; the Greek EPC contractor AVAX has submitted to ICGB the end of August as a deadline for finalizing all activities planned for stage 1.

ICGB, which is developing the gas interconnector between Greece and Bulgaria, submitted to the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works an updated proposal for the introduction of phasing of the implementation of the remaining activities for the start of commercial operation of the facility.

Currently, all main construction activities for the implementation of the project have been completed, and since mid-June all facilities have been filled with gas and successfully tested with actual quantities of natural gas. The gas pipeline and all the adjacent above-ground facilities – seven block valves, two gas metering stations and one dispatch center – are completed and technically sound, which was established both by the construction supervision of the project and by a number of inspections and tests carried out in recent months. To date, all 182 km and the adjacent facilities are filled with natural gas at a pressure of 40 bar. The execution of secondary activities, which are not directly related to the operation of the interconnector but are part of the planned project activities under the ECP contract, is ongoing.

Aiming at the earliest possible introduction of IGB into commercial operation and speeding up the administrative processes necessary for the issuance of Act 15 and Act 16 for the territory of Bulgaria and the equivalent permits for Greece, ICGB submitted a proposal to the Bulgarian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works for establishing phasing of the project. The main goal is that all activities necessary for the start of commercial operation are carried out as a priority in phase 1, which would allow a timely start of natural gas transmission through the interconnector. All other activities that are not directly related to the operation of the facility are included in a separate phase. They will continue to be implemented in parallel with the operation of the pipeline.

In phase 1, the highest priority activities include: the already completed construction of the gas pipeline and the above-ground facilities, testing of cathodic protection, laying signs along the gas pipeline, completing the integration and testing of the SCADA system for automatic control and management of the interconnector, testing of the fire protection system of the dispatch center, etc.

Among the set activities for the other phase are: finalizing the placement of spare optical cable, implementing anti-erosion measures along the route of the gas pipeline, completion of road to the gas metering station near Stara Zagora.

All the above-mentioned activities are part of the commitments of the Greek company AVAX, which executes the contract for the design, construction and commissioning of the gas pipeline. The contractor has submitted information to ICGB indicating the end of August as a deadline for the completion of the phase 1 activities, which will allow for the quick start of commercial operation of the pipeline. This also includes prioritizing the completion of the automated (SCADA) system that is required for managing the gas pipeline.

ICGB continues to work actively to fulfill the necessary requirements for obtaining Permission to use IGB and the relevant permits for Greece, actively communicating with and fully assisting all institutions that have a commitment to this process. All efforts remain focused on putting the gas pipeline into commercial operation as soon as possible, and the main goal is to have this happen before the start of the upcoming heating season.

The interconnector, which can provide for almost the entire domestic natural gas consumption for Bulgaria, is at the final stage of its implementation. Given the need for the prompt commercial commissioning of the pipeline, ICGB relies on active and consistent institutional support.

 

For more information:
Diana Zaykova
Action Global Communications Bulgaria
diana.z@actionprgroup.com
+359 885 074 422
+359 885 614 131

Rossitza Donkova
rossitza.d@actionprgroup.com
+359 888 343 661

Έργο IGB

Ο Διασυνδετήριος Αγωγός Φυσικού Αερίου Ελλάδας-Βουλγαρίας συγχρηματοδοτείται από το Ταμείο Ανάκαμψης του
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Co-financed by the Europen Union, Europen Energy Programme for Recovery  European Regional Development Fund Operational Program Innovation and Competitiveness

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