October 21 (SeeNews) - The natural gas transmission system operators of Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Bulgartransgaz and GA-MA, intend to sign an agreement to link up the two countries' systems at the interconnection point Kyustendil - Zidilovo, Bulgartransgaz said.
The companies will hold public consultations with network users during October 18 - October 27 to collect their opinions on the rules for the interconnection process, the allocation of gas quantities and other specific provisions, Bulgartransgaz said in a statement earlier this week.
The interconnection agreement will allow North Macedonia to receive natural gas from Bulgaria, which recently commissioned a gas link with Greece allowing it to import pipeline gas from Azebaijan and liquefied natural gas (LNG) from other suppliers via the existing Greek terminal at Revithoussa. Conversely, through the envisaged deal, Bulgaria will be able to receive commercial gas deliveries from North Macedonia.
North Macedonia does not have natural gas deposits and relies on gas imports from Russia. The country's gas supply agreement with Gazprom will expire in 2030.
Bulgaria's agreement with Gazprom is valid until the end of 2022, but the country has not received natural gas deliveries from Russia since late April, after it refused a unilateral demand by the Russian company to make payments in rubles.
There are currently five two-way gas interconnection points linking Bulgaria's gas grid to neighbouring pipelines in Romania, Greece and Serbia, with a second one planned between Bulgartransgaz and Srbijagas.
The Kyustendil - Zidilovo interconnection point has so far been operating only to deliver gas to North Macedonia via Bulgaria. The halt of gas deliveries to Bulgaria from Russia has not affected North Macedonia, according to an earlier statement by the country's economy minister Kreshnik Bekteshi.