"The actual length of the underwater pipeline is 2.1 km, from the valve group at Comasca in Romania to the similar group at Marten, Bulgaria. This is the biggest such work in Romania and Europe so far, a pioneering work," Transgas quoted Romania's deputy prime minister and economy minister Costin Borc as saying in a statement on Sunday.
The construction works were carried out by a consortium consisting of Austria's Habau and Romania's Inspet, which signed a contract in April with Transgaz and the Bulgarian gas transmission system operator, Bulgartransgaz.
The Romania-Bulgaria gas link has been financed with 23 million euro ($25.7 million) in EU funds so far, of which 10 million euro used for works on the Romanian side of the Danube and the rest for works on the Bulgarian side.
In the first year, with the proper functioning of the pipeline and based on existing agreements, Transgaz will ensure a flow of 500 million cubic metres of gas at a pressure of 29 bars at the border.
On September 9, Transgaz received a 179.4 million euro ($201 million) grant from the European Commission for the first phase of the BRUA gas pipeline project, which will link the gas networks of Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria.
The first phase of the project calls for the construction of a gas transmission network with a total length of 550 km and capacity of 1.5 billion cubic metres per year toward Bulgaria and 1.5 billion cubic meters and 4.4 billion cubic metres per year toward Hungary in phase two of the project.
The overall project is due for completion in 2019. It will cost an estimated 560 million euro, according to data from Transgaz website.
(SEENews)
