SOFIA/ALEXANDROUPOLIS – Bulgaria is already receiving liquefied natural gas deliveries from the terminal opened on October 1 in Alexandroupolis, Greece. The Bulgarian state is a shareholder with 20% in the company, owner and operator of the terminal. Through the new facility, gas deliveries to Greece, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Moldova, and Ukraine will be possible from sources such as the USA, Qatar, and Egypt, clarified the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy.
The caretaker minister of energy, Vladimir Malinov, defined the first delivery from the terminal as a real diversification for Bulgaria.
Until 2022, Bulgaria mainly received natural gas from Russia. After the beginning of the war against Ukraine, the Russian company “Gazprom” unilaterally stopped deliveries. Then Sofia turned to imports from other countries and connected its gas pipeline network with Greece, with the help of EU funds.
Upon receiving the first ship with liquefied gas at the terminal in Alexandroupolis, Minister Malinov stated that this is a historic moment for Bulgaria and Southeastern Europe.
He clarified that the first delivery from the terminal in Alexandroupolis for Bulgaria comes from Norway. According to him, the terminal in Greece is making a step towards building the Vertical Gas Corridor, supported by the EU and the USA.
The terminal in Alexandroupolis started operation on October 1, with a storage capacity of 153,500 cubic meters of liquefied gas and the ability to regasify up to 5.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually. (3.10.2024)