Bulgaria Govt Guarantees Supplies for 3-4 Months in Case of Gas Crisis

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Daniela Bobeva has explained that the government is ready to secure gas consumption for a minimum of 3-4 months in the case of a gas supply crisis.

Bobeva, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, announced Monday that additional gas quantities were being injected into the Chiren gas storage facility.

She explained that the new Energy Strategy, which was to be presented soon, envisaged the construction of one more gas storage facility.

"We are also yet to present the reindustrialization program. We worked hard on it over the past few months and the aim is to encourage the industry which manufactures output with high added value and export potential and to reach the targets set by the European Commission for the industry's share in the GDP," Bobeva declared.

She also noted that she was coordinating the creation of a strategy on the integration of refugees.

"This problem is not such a pressing issue as it was in the beginning but we have not yet fulfilled our commitments under it," Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister stated.

According to a media statement of Bulgaria's Ministry of Economy and Energy, a total of 355 million cubic meters of natural gas are currently stored at the Chiren gas storage facility and fresh supplies are still being injected due to the dynamic situation in Ukraine.

An average of around 3 million cubic meters a day can be taken out of the Chiren gas depot, which covers 65% of the daily consumption in this part of the year, which means that the gas storage facility can provide supplies for a minimum of 100 days.

Apart from the Chiren gas depot, Bulgaria also has local gas production to rely on in the case of disruptions.

What is more, as of January 1, 2014, Bulgaria also has the opportunity to receive 1 – 3 million cubic meters of gas a day from Greece, depending on the capacity of Greece's gas transmission network.

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