site.btaEWRC Hosts Public Discussion on Bulgartsansgaz Network Development in 2023-2032

The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) Wednesday hosted a public discussion on a ten-year plan for the development of Bulgartransgaz's network in 2023 - 2032. In the report to the EWRC, the national operator indicated that the reliability of natural gas supply to the country will be ensured through investments in the construction of interconnectors to ensure connectivity with other gas transmission networks and investments in the expansion of the Chiren underground gas storage facility, both in terms of production and compression facilities, and the storage capacity for larger volumes of natural gas.

Another main objective of the operator is to provide access to natural gas to new municipalities and new end users, which will help improve the ecology, quality of life, energy efficiency and savings from cheaper fuel. This is to be done by extending the existing gas transmission networks to new regions of the country and building new gas metering and gas regulating stations, enabling the connection of new end-users to the gas transmission networks, or gas distribution networks.

According to Bulgartransgaz's plan, the following will be key to market integration, diversification and ensuring the possibility of transporting additional volumes of natural gas to and across Bulgaria: the interconnector with Serbia; the expansion of the Chiren underground gas storage facility; the LNG terminal near Alexandroupolis; infrastructure development projects to increase transmission capacities from Greece to Bulgaria and from Bulgaria to Romania.

Bulgartransgaz is developing hydrogen-focused projects, including: the construction of a hydrogen transmission infrastructure in Bulgaria; a smart upgrade of the existing Bulgarian gas transmission network and network-related assets for the efficient integration of low-carbon and renewable gases, as well as a hydrogen and low-carbon gaseous fuels transmission infrastructure project in the Maritsa East region.

The meeting behind closed doors, at which the EWRC will rule on Bulgartransgaz's ten-year network development plan for the period 2023-2032, is scheduled for September 13, the regulator's Chairman Ivan Ivanov, said.