DESFA, the Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator, organized a working meeting for the Natural Gas Vertical Corridor in Thessaloniki, with the participation of the companies Gastrade, ICGB, Bulgartransgaz, Transgaz, FGSZ and EUSTREAM (as an observer), which manage the natural gas and LNG transmission systems in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia, respectively.
Participants recognized the importance of implementing targeted projects to eliminate bottlenecks and strengthen interconnection between the systems of the countries, allowing two-way gas flows from the South to the North and vice versa, and further ensuring energy security and diversification of Europe’s sources of supply.
The representatives of the companies presented their planned investments in the systems they manage, aiming to increase the natural gas transport capacity of the Vertical Corridor. At the same time, they presented the results of the non-binding market tests they have carried out, as well as the initial estimates for the future capacity demand at the interconnection points of their systems. These are essential steps in the process of increasing the transmission capacity of the national systems of the participating countries, in accordance with what is provided by the EU regulations.
At the same time, the participants agreed to take coordinated actions with the aim of implementing the required investments, as well as completing the process of allocating future transport capacity through the Vertical Corridor within 2024. To achieve this goal, it was agreed to set up relevant working groups and successive meetings, with the first meeting taking place in Sofia in October 2023.
The full activation of the Vertical Corridor will significantly upgrade the role of the countries participating in it, for the security of supply of the EU energy market, allowing access to diversified sources of supply through European natural gas and LNG transmission systems. This dynamic will be further extended by the use of these renewable gas and hydrogen infrastructures.
