The Bulgarian Energy Holding, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Bulgargaz, has signed a protocol of the Final Investment Decision (FID) on the construction of the Bulgarian part of the 63 bcm/year South Stream gas pipeline, which will deliver natural gas from Russia to Europe. The 538-kilometer section of the gas pipeline is expected to provide Bulgarian consumers with continuous and uninterrupted natural gas supplies over a long term. Moreover, the South Stream Transport Board of Directors has adopted the final investment decision for the offshore gas pipeline section. The offshore section of the South Stream gas pipeline will run under the Black Sea from the Russkaya compressor station to the Bulgarian coast. The construction is expected to begin by the end of 2012, with first gas deliveries in 2015 and full capacity by 2018.
Slovenia’s transmission system operator Plinovodi has already signed a final deal with Gazprom on the construction of the Slovenian part of the pipeline on 14 November 2012 ; FGSZ, the Hungarian gas transmission system operator, had signed a FID for the project in early November 2012 ; and Srbijagas, the Serbian gas company, signed one in end-October.