Bulgaria To Boost Gas Imports From Greece By 50% In 2026

(Reuters) — Bulgaria will increase its capacity to import gas from Greece by 50% a year from next January to 8 billion cubic meters (Bcm) annually, the head of gas transmission operator Bulgartransgaz said on Monday.

"We as Bulgartransgaz have done our job... by the end of this year we will increase entry capacity from Greece by 50% which will lead to (an) increase of total capacity from Greece to Bulgaria hopefully very soon to around 8 Bcm/year. It will be available to the market as of January (2026)," Bulgartransgaz CEO Vladimir Malinov said at the Budapest LNG Conference.

The Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria natural gas pipeline, completed in 2022, supplies Bulgaria with gas sourced from Greek ports.

Russia cut off gas deliveries to EU member Bulgaria in April 2022 after Sofia refused to pay in rubles. Sofia has since stepped up efforts to guard against supply disruptions.

Bulgaria also plans to double its capacity to ship gas to Romania next year, he said.

"In July next year we will double the capacity from Bulgaria to Romania, which will reach more than 11 Bcm of exit capacity," Malinov said.