IGB operator seeks US funding to accelerate FID

ICGB, the operator of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB), is counting on support from American funds to expedite the final investment decision to expand the pipeline's capacity, ICGB Executive Director Teodora Georgieva wrote on LinkedIn, Report informs.

"We are now ready and strategically focused on expanding our infrastructure from 3 to 5bcm. This step will prepare us for the phase-out of Russian gas by 2027–2028. We have done our homework, and we are committed to moving forward. We look forward to the support of US funds to accelerate the final investment decision.

Looking ahead, I remain strongly invested in advancing Routes 2 and 3 of the Vertical Gas Corridor. These routes are essential not only for strengthening market integration but also for supporting Ukraine at a critical moment by expanding access to diversified gas deliveries," she wrote.

"I am honored to share that the personal message of gratitude I received from President Donald J. Trump is not just a recognition of individual effort, but of the collective work that made the IGB pipeline a strategic route for delivering diversified American LNG to Eastern Europe. Ensuring secure, competitive, and reliable gas supplies for Bulgaria has always been at the heart of my mission – and this achievement confirms the importance of staying committed to that vision."

The IGB gas pipeline connects the Greek gas transmission system (DESFA) and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline near Komotini with the Bulgarian system (Bulgartransgaz) near Stara Zagora. It is 182 km long, with a pipe diameter of 813 mm. The pipeline's design capacity is 3 billion cubic meters of gas per year, with the potential to be increased to 5 billion cubic meters, subject to market demand and technical conditions.