04.11.2016
Balkan Gas Hub will coordinate with Eastring pipeline
Bulgartransgaz and Eustream have signed MoU to deepen cooperation in developing major gas infrastructure projects
Bulgaria and Slovakia will closely cooperate in developing two major gas infrastructure projects enhancing energy security in Central and South-eastern Europe. It is the result of Memorandum of Understanding on the development and realization of the Balkan Gas Hub project in coordination with the Eastring project signed today between Bulgarian and the Slovak gas transmission operators Bulgartransgaz EAD and Eustream.
The aim of Balkan Gas Hub is to provide European customers transparent and non-discriminatory access to a wide range of supply sources. In order to achieve this goal new gas hub needs to be connected with sufficient pipeline infrastructure. Both companies today agreed the Eastring pipeline will serve as a priority western route for the interconnection of the regional markets and the Balkan Gas Hub.
“We agreed that possible technical solutions with respect to the future development of the Balkan Gas Hub project will be analysed in close coordination with Eastring project. This is the clear evidence of our partnership in developing projects that are about to strengthen the security of gas supply in Central a South-eastern Europe,” Eustream’s CEO Rastislav Ňukovič.
Today’s MoU on project coordination follows the memorandum on Eastring signed in June between Bulgartransgaz and Eustream and a separate document signed in July on the intergovernmental level. Eastring will serve as an interconnection between Western European liquid hubs and the South-eastern Europe. It will enhance security of supply for the Balkan region as well as for Europe by creating a new corridor for new gas sources from various regions. Together with its partners form Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, Eustream is finalizing EC grant application for feasibility study that will be submit next week. Final investment decision on Eastring, its routing and parameters will be based on the feasibility study outcomes.
MoU signing ceremony. From left: Temenužka Petkova, energy minister, Bulgaria; Georgi Gegov, executive director, Bulgartransgaz; Rastislav Ňukovič, CEO, Eustream; Mirek Topolánek, member of BoD, Eustream.