The independent transmission operator ICGB, in coordination with gas system operators from Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine, is set to launch two new cross-border bundled natural gas capacity products, known as Route 2 and Route 3. These products aim to strengthen energy security in the region by offering additional direct supply access from Northern Greece to Ukraine. Both routes can also connect to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Alexandroupolis and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), enhancing regional energy diversification.

The introduction of Route 2 and Route 3 follows the earlier launch of Route 1, all part of the broader Vertical Gas Corridor initiative. These products are designed to support the timely and cost-efficient injection of natural gas into Ukraine’s underground storage facilities ahead of the winter season. Nominations will be limited to exit points in Ukraine only, without access to national virtual trading points or internal exit points in transit countries, reflecting the strategic purpose of the initiative.

Route 2 begins at the Amphitrite interconnection point on the Greek DESFA network, passes through the Greece-Bulgaria interconnection (IGB), and continues along the Trans-Balkan Corridor via Stara Zagora, Negru Voda 1/Kardam, Isakcha 1/Orlovka, Kaushani, and ends at Grebeniki. Route 3 starts at the ICGB interconnection point with TAP, entering IGB at Komotini, and follows the same sequence along the corridor to Ukraine.

To make the new products competitive, all transmission operators along the routes have agreed to a 25% discount on standard monthly tariffs. ICGB and Ukraine’s GTSOU have gone further, offering a 46% reduction - the largest in the region - demonstrating a strong commitment to Ukraine’s energy sustainability and regional cooperation. Capacity will be offered solely in monthly products, and, in line with the strategic objectives, only for exit to Ukraine.

With the launch of Routes 2 and 3, ICGB reinforces its role within the Vertical Gas Corridor, connecting diversified southern European gas supplies to markets in South-East Europe, Ukraine, and Moldova. The decision to offer the largest discount in the region underlines ICGB’s long-term dedication to regional solidarity, energy security, and strategic flexibility.

ICGB Executive Directors George Satlas and Teodora Georgieva emphasized the importance of the initiative, noting the company’s commitment to regional cooperation and energy security. They highlighted the ongoing collaboration with other transmission operators and the expectation of receiving the necessary regulatory approvals along the route. The executives described the project as a lasting partnership that will provide reliable, efficient, and cost-effective natural gas access for Ukraine and the broader region.

The IGB pipeline, operated by ICGB AD, was established in Bulgaria in 2011 as a joint investment company with equal ownership between BEH EAD and IGI Poseidon. IGI Poseidon itself is jointly owned by Greece’s DEPA International Projects and Italy’s Edison S.p.A. ICGB AD owns the pipeline, oversees its financing, manages capacity allocation, and receives transmission revenues.

The IGB pipeline links the Greek national gas network (DESFA) and TAP at Komotini, Greece, with the Bulgarian system (Bulgartransgaz) at Stara Zagora. It stretches 182 km, with a 32-inch diameter, and a design capacity of up to 3 billion cubic meters per year from Greece to Bulgaria. The pipeline is engineered to expand to 5 billion cubic meters per year depending on market demand and the capacity of neighboring transmission systems, ensuring future scalability and flexibility in the region’s gas supply.

Source: press release