Today, the construction activities on the Bulgarian section of the gas interconnector Bulgaria-Serbia have been inaugurated. Recognised as an EU Project of Common Interest, the Interconnector Bulgaria-Serbia (IBS) is the priority project of the Central and South Eastern Europe energy connectivity (CESEC) High-Level Group. The IBS is part of a broader process of diversification of gas supplies and a stepping stone for further enhancement of energy security in the region. A high-level event to mark the start of construction took place in Golyanovtsi village, Kostinbrod Municipality, Sofia district, and was attended by representatives of the European Commission and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).
In a video message to the meeting, EU Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson said:
The beginning of the works on IBS marks another critical milestone in the region's pathway toward diversification of sources and routes. It is now crucial that both governments and operators closely cooperate to ensure that the pipeline is ready and operational in the 2nd half of 2023.
The gas pipeline will have a length of 170 km (62 km in Bulgaria and 108 km in Serbia) and a planned transmission capacity of 1,8 billion cubic meters per year with reverse flow capability. The EU co-funded the Bulgarian section of the pipeline with EUR 27.6 million under the Connecting Europe Facility Energy programme and EUR 6 million from structural funds. The Commission has also funded the Serbian section of the pipeline with an EU grant of EUR 49.6 million through the Instrument of Pre-Accession (IPA) scheme. The project is necessary to enable Serbia to diversify gas supplies, reduce import dependence on Russian gas, and provide alternative supply routes in South-East Europe.
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- Publication date
- 1 February 2023
- Author
- Directorate-General for Energy