2024-02-14 11:04:15
“To achieve security in the energy mix, Europe is stimulating the construction of new liquefied natural gas terminals. The available regasification capacity in the SE region, amounting to more than 35 billion m3 per year, together with the planned new terminals, as well as the increase in flows from the Caspian region, will lead to further growth in flows from the south to the north”, the executive said. director of “Bulgartransgaz” EAD Vladimir Malinov during his second participation in the forum for Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. The fifth edition of the high-level conference was held in the capital of the United States of America – Washington. The main organizer of the event is the Delphi Economic Forum.
“Liquefied natural gas has revolutionized the sector in the 21st century and will guarantee secure, reliable and affordable energy supplies for Europe in the long term.” “Bulgartransgaz” will consider any possibility of shareholder participation in a new regasification terminal in Greece. Such an investment will be fully in synergy with the projects under the Vertical Corridor initiative and will be of key importance for the entire region,” emphasized Malinov during the conference.
The main topic of the discussion panel “Building a new regional and connecting infrastructure in Europe” was the realization of the Vertical Gas Corridor. “The initiative is of strategic importance for providing a technical possibility for two-way transfer of additional volumes of natural gas from reliable sources such as the USA, Egypt and others”, emphasized Malinov. “In addition to its well-developed infrastructure, Bulgartransgaz proposed projects to increase transmission capacity between Greece and Bulgaria and Bulgaria and Romania. The implementation of the two projects will increase energy security, improve the conditions for diversification of supplies, stimulate competition and help the full integration of the gas markets of the countries in the region,” he added. For part of the value of the two projects, an opportunity will be sought to attract partial grant funding.
Within the framework of the conference, Malinov held a meeting with the US ambassador to Greece, H.E. George Tsunis. The focus of the conversation was the upcoming commissioning of the liquefied natural gas terminal in Alexandroupolis, in which the Bulgarian gas transmission operator is a 20% shareholder. “The development of the LNG market is among the main factors for ensuring energy security in the region. That is why Bulgartransgaz’s potential participation in a second regasification terminal in Greece will improve energy security in the region,” Malinov emphasized during the conversation. Ambassador Tsunis noted the leading role of Bulgartransgaz in the implementation of the Vertical Corridor initiative, through which after the inclusion of Ukraine , Moldova and Slovakia, the countries of Eastern Europe will gain secure access to alternative sources of natural gas.