Bulgaria's Chiren Gas Storage to Double Capacity by 2017

Bulgartransgaz CEO Kiril Temelkov presented Saturday the company’s 10-year program for the development of gas transmission and storage infrastructure. Photo by dariknews.bg

The capacity of Bulgaria's Chiren underground gas storage is to be doubled by 2017, according to Kiril Temelkov, Executive Director of state-owned gas transmission operator Bulgartransgaz.

Temelkov presented Saturday the company's program for the development of gas transmission and storage infrastructure in the period 2013-2022.

He informed that the current capacity of the Chiren UGS of 550 million cubic meters was to increase to 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas, while daily gas flows were to go up from 4.2 million cubic meters to 10 million cubic meters.

The CEO of Bulgartransgaz said that the Chiren UGS would require an investment of EUR 200 M, adding that the state-owned gas transmission operator planned to invest a total of EUR 650 M in the grid over the next 10 years.

Temelkov, as cited by private TV station bTV, specified that the company would use its own resources for some of the projects but would also seek external funding, including grant schemes.

He went on to say that some 300 kilometers of gas grid interconnections worth around EUR 117 M were to be built, adding that Bulgartransgaz would invest EUR 250 M into the upgrade of the existing infrastructure.

Delyan Dobrev, Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, who attended Bulgargaz' event, announced that the construction of the gas interconnection with Greece was scheduled to start in March 2013, with the facility expected to become operational in 2014.

He noted that the gas link with Romania was being built and was to start functioning in May 2013.

Dobrev said that Bulgaria was in talks with Serbia for the construction of a gas grid interconnection.

Bulgaria's Energy Minister made clear that five options for the gas link with Serbia were being discussed, two of which did not require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

He told journalists that Bulgaria and Serbia would probably sign the project on the construction of a gas grid interconnection at the beginning of 2013.

Dobrev stated that he expected clarity on the gas interconnection with Turkey by the end of 2012, specifying that the Bulgarian section of the project would require an investment of around EUR 75 M.

Bulgaria's Energy Minister assured that the implementation of the South Stream gas pipeline would not affect the national gas transmission system in any way, adding that its pipes would run separately and the only common point of the routes would be near the northeastern town of Provadia.

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