Bulgarian caretaker Minister of Economy Nikola Stoyanov said that one of the options proposed to Azerbaijan in an effort to secure enough gas for the winter season is an exchange in which Bulgaria will export electricity in Azerbaijan for increased gas supply.
According to a long-term agreement signed with Azerbaijan, Bulgaria is receiving 1 billion cubic meters of gas per year, but there is potential for securing additional volumes of gas following the commercial launch of gas interconnection between Greece and Bulgaria.
Minister Stoyanov said that the scheme has been agreed in principle. Almost all Azerbaijan’s electricity generation capacities are gas-based, so Bulgaria can export electricity in generates from sources other than natural gas to Azerbaijan, who could increase gas supply to Bulgaria by an amount which would be otherwise used for electricity generation.
He said that Bulgaria is already in negotiations with Azerbaijan on the delivery of an additional 1 billion cubic meters from 2025 onwards, once the extension of Southern Gas Corridor is completed, adding that Bulgaria wants to secure these volumes as soon as possible in light of increased demand of Azeri gas by other countries.
