By Trend

Opening of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) is an important stage in ensuring energy needs of Europe, Prime Minister of Romania Nicolae Ciuca wrote on Facebook, Trend reports.

“It is a moment that we await with great interest and hope. It will open an important stage in the efforts we are making together at the European level to ensure our energy needs while reducing, at the same time, our dependence on Russian gas. Gas imports from Azerbaijan through this interconnector represent a viable alternative source from now on, which will ensure Romania’s and other countries’ access to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP),” noted Ciuca.

IGB connects Bulgaria with the Southern Gas Corridor and will enable secure supplies from a variety of sources to several countries in Southeast and Central Europe, including Moldova and Ukraine.

The pipeline is set to transport 1 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas per year to Bulgaria. Its capacity is 3 billion cubic meters with the possibility of expanding to 5 billion cubic meters per year.