Photo: Ministry of Energy
After a half-year delay, the Alexandroupolis LNG terminal is set to be commissioned on October 1, according to Bulgaria’s Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov. Slots for suppliers will be allocated by the end of the month, he said.
Bulgarian Minister of Energy Vladimir Malinov was given assurances that the technical issue at the Alexandroupolis floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) is under control. The liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal offshore neighboring Greece’s northeastern coast was supposed to start operations in April.
The two countries run the project via the Gastrade special purpose vehicle. Bulgaria’s state-owned gas transmission and storage system operator Bulgartransgaz controls 20% of the firm. The works officially began in May 2022.
Fixing technical defect incurred no additional costs
Water was detected in the gas pipeline leading to the shore, according to the Ministry of Energy in Sofia. It said the obstacle was overcome nonintrusively and with no added costs. The LNG terminal is scheduled for launch on October 1, Malinov said.
Suppliers can declare the number of their cargoes by August 15, the Bulgarian minister pointed out. The slots for the LNG terminal will be allocated by the end of the month, he explained.
The expected commissioning coincides with the beginning of the gas year. “The start of commercial operation of the terminal this autumn will give a competitive advantage and ensure the security of gas supply for the upcoming winter season for the Southeast European region, in view of the potential suspension of Russian natural gas transportation through Ukrainian territory as of the beginning of next year,” Malinov stated.
Most of Balkans depend on Alexandroupolis LNG terminal for their gas ambitions
The Alexandroupolis ship, anchored near the eponymous Greek city, has a capacity of 153,500 cubic meters. The terminal will be able to turn LNG into 5.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
It is essential for the so-called Vertical Gas Corridor project, covering much of Eastern Europe. The planned expansion of Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria or IGB to five billion cubic meters per year from three billion hinges on the commissioning of the Alexandroupolis facility.
In addition, Serbia and North Macedonia also require more supply capacity and a diversification away from Russian gas.
Greece already has an LNG terminal in Revithoussa.
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