Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov led the commissioning ceremony of a 20-kilometer (12-mile) gas pipeline section connecting the Lozenets Compressor Station and the Nedyalsko Pigging Facility, the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reported.
Borissov noted that the facility's commissioning makes all gas transmission systems in Bulgaria reverse-flow capable and would allow receiving gas from Russia, as well as from Azerbaijan, via Turkey.
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The new pipeline complies with all EU requirements, Borissov stressed.
The commissioned bypass section increases the annual capacity of the Trans Balkan Pipeline to 15.7 billion cubic meters in the direction from Turkey to Bulgaria from the current 14 billion cubic meters, while the reverse flow capacity now stands at 16 billion cubic meters, the publication noted.
TurkStream, construction of which was launched last May, will have a capacity of 15.75 billion cubic meters per year. One line is expected to supply natural gas solely for consumption in Turkey. The second string will transport gas to European countries through Turkey and is scheduled for completion in 2019. Gazprom is considering options to extend the pipeline through Bulgaria and Serbia or through Greece and Italy.
