Azernews.Az

By Ayya Lmahamad

The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) has now Act 15 for the territory of Bulgaria, ICGB AD told Azernews.

The company noted that the pipeline commissioning procedures progress on schedule and commercial operations will begin on October 1.

Act 15 certifies that the facility is completed and technically sound, as the EPC contractor - the Greek company AVAX, hands it over as a completed site to the contracting entity - the independent gas transmission operator ICGB AD.

"This is the last step we have to take towards obtaining Act 16 in Bulgaria and the corresponding Permit for Use. We have provided the institutions with all the necessary documents, and we expect the administrative procedures to be completed by the end of next week, so that we can start commercial operation on October 1 as planned," ICGB Executive Officers Teodora Georgieva and George Satlas said.

In order to optimize the process of putting the pipeline into operation and issuing a Use Permit, ICGB sent in advance requests for preliminary opinions and necessary documents to 27 controlling authorities, municipal administrations, operating companies and others. As a result, to date, positive positions have been received from all relevant parties. In order to further reduce the administrative deadlines, all the necessary documentation has been previously submitted to the Bulgarian Directorate for National Construction Control (DNCC) and has already been reviewed.

"We are awaiting the convening of a committee for Act 16, we have taken all the necessary steps for that to be possible," the ICGB Executive Officers said.

Moreover, the ICGB Executive Officers emphasized that in parallel, work continues for the necessary operational permit in Greece, so that before the end of September the facility will be licensed on Greek territory as well.

"The 72-hour tests, during which natural gas is transported at working pressure in the direction from Komotini to Stara Zagora, have already been performed. There are no technical issues or setbacks, everything is ready for commercial operation," they said.

Given the importance of timely commissioning of the IGB pipeline and the start of the heating season, the remaining activities as part of the project are divided into phases, with today's signing of Act 15 between ICGB, the construction company, the construction and author's supervision marking the end of the first phase of these activities.

This phase contains all the elements that are of direct importance for the start of commercial operation of the gas pipeline. Secondary activities are identified in a separate stage that needs to be completed by the Greek company AVAX as part of their contractual obligations. All secondary activities identified under the additional phase no not directly affect the operational readiness of the facility - e.g., asphalt laying, anti-erosion measures, spare optical cable. Work on all above-mentioned activities continues, and their final implementation will be inspected by both the contracting entity and the relevant institutions and will be the subject of a separate Act.

The IGB gas pipeline is designed to connect the Greek national gas transmission system (DESFA S.A.) and the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP AG) in the area of Komotini (Greece), and with the Bulgarian gas transmission system (Bulgartransgaz EAD) in the area of Stara Zagora. The total length of the gas pipeline is 182 km, the diameter of the pipe is 32'', and a design capacity of up to 3 billion m3/year in the direction of Greece-Bulgaria.

The pipeline is designed to increase its capacity up to 5 bcm/y depending on market interest and the capacities of neighboring gas transmission systems.

The opening ceremony of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria was held in Komotini on July 8.

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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad

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