In the margins of the Energy Council in Luxembourg today, Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson welcomed the grant award for funding a Bulgarian Project of Common Interest (PCI) for an underground gas storage facility with the Bulgarian Deputy Permanent Representative, Ivanka Tasheva, and the Executive Director of Bulgartransgaz EAD, Mr Vladimir Malinov. The project will benefit from a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)-Energy grant of nearly €78 million to Bulgartransgaz EAD for the expansion of the Chiren underground gas storage facility in Bulgaria. Commissioner Simson said: I welcome this project, which is more important than ever for supporting the resilience of gas infrastructure in South-East Europe. The Chiren gas storage will help Bulgaria and the whole region to resist threats to its gas supply by Russia. EU funding is essential to give a boost to such key infrastructure projects. The PCI will increase the storage capacity of the only natural gas storage facility in Bulgaria to 1 billion cubic meters. Together with the successful completion of another PCI aiming at the rehabilitation, modernisation and expansion of the Bulgarian transmission system and co-funded by CEF-Energy (EUR 27.18 million), Bulgaria will strengthen its gas supply resilience. Together, these projects will enhance interconnection with neighbouring countries and adapt the region to the new market realities. The total CEF support provided to the two projects exceeds EUR 106 million. The European Union support provided to the project will directly contribute to the security of gas supply of the country and the whole South-East Europe region, and to a well-interconnected and competitive energy market. Background Projects of Common Interest (PCIs) are projects that the European Commission has identified as a key priority for interconnecting the European Union's energy system infrastructure, building a more integrated and resilient EU internal energy market and achieving the ambitious climate and energy goals of the European Green Deal. The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is an EU funding instrument to promote growth, jobs, and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investment at European level. During 2014 – 2020 alone, it supported the implementation of Projects of Common Interest in energy with more than EUR 4.9 billion. Related links Projects of Common Interest Key cross border infrastructure projects Connecting Europe Facility CEF-Energy projects in Bulgaria Details Publication date27 June 2022AuthorDirectorate-General for EnergyLocationBrussels
