October 5 (SeeNews) - ICGB, the company developing the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria project, said on Friday that it has launched a 1.3 million levs ($764,500/664,700 euro) tender for selection of a consultant for the construction of the gas link.
The role of the selected consultant will include supervision throughout the construction phase, as well as preparing regular monthly reports and one final report on the construction, ICGB said in a press release.
The deadline for submitting offers is November 26.
Last month, ICGB said that the 145 million euro tender for construction of the interconnector has attracted 11 offers.
The pipeline will connect the Greek gas transmission system in the area of Komotini to the Bulgarian gas transmission system in the area of Stara Zagora.
The planned length of the pipeline is 182 km and the projected capacity will be up to 3 billion cu m per year in the direction from Greece to Bulgaria. Depending on interest from the market and the capacities of the neighbouring gas transmission systems, the capacity of the pipeline can be increased up to 5 billion cu m per year, thus allowing for physical reverse flow from Bulgaria to Greece with the additional installation of a compressor station.
The gas link is estimated to cost 220 million euro. The project company has secured a sovereign guarantee of 110 million euro under the annual state budget act, which could ensure loan financing under preferable conditions.
The project is being implemented by the joint venture company ICGB, in which state-owned Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) and Greece-registered IGI Poseidon hold equal shares. Greek public gas corporation DEPA and Italian energy group Edison own 50% each of IGI Poseidon.
(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)