MRDPW approves first stage of gas connection expansion with Greece

The first stage of the planned project to expand the capacity of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector from 3 to 5 billion cubic meters per year has been approved. The permit issued by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (MRDPW) covers the modernization of the gas metering station on Bulgarian territory near the city of Stara Zagora, the operating company announced.

This step allows ICGB to continue with the procedure for selecting a contractor for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC). Once selected, the contractor will be responsible for installing additional equipment for filtering and preheating natural gas, as well as for constructing pressure reduction and metering lines.

The modernization of Lot 1 will enable the gas metering station near Stara Zagora to handle larger volumes of natural gas (up to 5 billion cubic meters per year) while maintaining reliable operation and interoperability.

ICGB is committed to this initiative and is confident of the strategic benefits of the infrastructure for long-term energy security and integration in the Southeast European region," said ICGB Executive Directors Teodora Georgieva and George Satlas.

Funding for the project is yet to be secured. In this regard, ICGB is engaged in discussions with financial institutions to finance the capacity expansion. The company recently launched a new two-year cycle of the process of exploring market interest in increasing the capacity of the gas pipeline. Non-binding offers are expected by early September 2025, and the binding offer phase is planned for the summer of 2026.

Once a sustainable financial plan is in place and ICGB shareholders approve the final investment decision for the expansion project, construction activities on Lot 1 can start. In parallel, documentation for Lot 2 (a gas metering station near the Greek city of Komotini) is also progressing to ensure that both sites advance in sync, in line with the overall strategy for contracting the project.

Translated with DeepL.