BULGARIA’s ENERGY MINISTER WARNS OF A POSSIBLE GAS CRISIS

On 23rd of September, Bulgaria’s caretaker Economy and Energy Minister, Vassil Shtonov, warned of a possible gas crisis due to the conflict in Ukraine. If gas supplies are cut off, Bulgaria will cope for the first month, but in the second month will have to reduce the supplies for industrial consumers, the Minister explained.

In the event of gas crisis, Bulgaria can rely on gas from Greece and from the gas storage facility in the Bulgarian town of Chiren.

Bulgaria monitors the situation in Ukraine and undertakes active measures to prepare for a possible gas crisis, Vassil Shtonov said.

He added that in the event of crisis, Bulgaria cannot rely on its own production of gas, which is less than 0,5 million cubic metres per day.

At present, gas is being pumped into the storage facility in Chiren. As at 22nd of September, the storage facility was full to the level of 440 million cubic metres i.e. it is 80% full.

The Minister explained that cut-off gas flows would not affect the regular supply of heating and hot water during the winter, because 80% of all the thermal power plants could switch to heavy fuel oil (mazut).

Currently, Bulgaria is able to receive gas as an alternative source only from the neighboring Greece, the Minister said and added that at the moment Bulgaria could not rely on gas flows from Romania because the natural gas compressor station in Romania was not ready yet.