Citygas to link to Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector

The move will enable natural gas users in Kardzhali to be supplied by volumes derived from the interconnector starting February 1, 2023, ICGB said in a press release.

The two companies will set up the link over the next two months, once the construction of dedicated facilities is completed.

"The contract regulates the physical connection of the networks of the two operators, which will allow access for both commercial and domestic consumers in the region to a new source of supply of natural gas. This will increase security of supply and ensure diversification of sources for supply," ICGB said in the statement.

The 182-kilometre pipeline between Greece and Bulgaria, which can carry 3 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas per year, was inaugurated at the start of October. It grants access to direct gas deliveries to several Bulgarian municipalities and regions which hitherto had no connectivity options.

Citygas Bulgaria is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Italian gas distributor Gruppo Societa Gas Rimini (SGR), which has been present in Bulgaria since 2004. In 2007, the Bulgarian company received a 35-year licence to supply natural gas to retail and industrial clients in the central Thrace region. It has since built a pipeline network of over 1,000 km.

The interconnector owner, ICGB, is held equally by state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) and IGI Poseidon, a joint venture of Greek transmission operator DEPA and Italian energy group Edison.

Earlier this month, Axpo Bulgaria, a division of Swiss energy group Axpo, registered as a new user of the interconnector, with the right to take part in all future auctions of available capacity.