Serbia late with construction of gas pipeline

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The Serbian section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline extension is not expected to be ready until at least spring 2021, missing a previous target for first gas to flow by the end of 2020, the S&P Global Platts portal said quoting industry sources close to the project.

It said that according to Russia’s Gazprom, gas has been supplied via Turkish Stream to Bulgaria, Greece and North Macedonia since early 2020 with the first flows to Serbia and Hungary expected by the end of this year through the 403 kilometers of pipeline in Serbia at a capacity of 13.9 Bcm/year. The Serbian section connects the pipelines in Bulgaria and Hungary.  

Two sources close to the project, who insisted on anonymity, told the portal that the construction of the pipeline through Serbia is behind schedule. The sources confirmed comments by Vojislav Vuletic, president of Serbia’s Natural Gas Association, who told Vecernje Novosti daily that the Bulgarian and Serbian sections of Turkish Stream had been connected, but that the compressor station in Serbia was only due to be finished in May 2021.  

Serbian TSO Gastrans and state gas supplier Srbijagas were not available for comment, the portal said. According to the portal’s industry source, Bulgaria would be able to start flowing gas into Serbia via parts of its existing grid if Serbia were able to receive it.