The gas transmission system operators DESFA (Greece), Bulgartransgaz EAD (Bulgaria), Transgaz (Romania), Vestmoldtransgaz (Republic of Moldova) and Gas TSO of Ukraine (Ukraine), together with the independent operator of the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector – ICGB AD – have signed a joint letter addressed to the national energy regulators, requesting approval for the launch of two new cross-border capacity products – Route 2 and Route 3.
The faster approval of these additional products will significantly increase the potential for LNG to reach Ukraine via Greek terminals, strengthening energy security and allowing traders to select the optimal supply routes according to their needs, according to a statement from Transgaz, sent to the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) on Friday. The initiative marks another important step towards strengthening Europe’s energy independence and connectivity along the Vertical Gas Corridor.
The letter was signed at the Ministerial Meeting of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC), which took place in Athens on 6-7 November, in the presence of US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, senior US Government representatives, the Ministers of Energy of Greece Stavros Papastavrou, Bulgaria Zhecho Stankov, the Republic of Moldova Dorin Junghietu, and Ukraine Svitlana Grynchuk, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Romania Cătălin Predoiu.
The transmission system operators (TSOs) are seeking regulatory approval for the availability of Routes 2 and 3 by April 2026, as well as the possibility of simultaneously offering special capacity products Route 1, Route 2 and Route 3 in competitive auctions.
All participating TSOs have agreed to apply significant discounts – ranging from 25% to 50% – at their interconnection points, to encourage the market use of the new capacity and facilitate the diversification of gas flows. Coordinated tariff reductions and the availability of multiple route options will help mitigate potential disruptions, support uninterrupted supplies to Ukraine and ensure the most efficient use of existing infrastructure across the region, Transgaz said.
“The TSO underlines that, as identified by the European Commission, the Trans-Balkan Corridor, part of the Vertical Corridor, is an essential component of the EU strategy to diversify gas transport and gradually eliminate dependence on Russian gas. The approval of the availability of Routes 2 and 3 is in direct line with this strategy, as they use LNG and Caspian gas to strengthen long-term energy security and market integration,” the statement said.
Route 2 starts from the Amfitriti interconnection point of the DESFA network, crosses the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector (ICGB) and continues through the Trans-Balkan Corridor, and Route 3 starts from the ICGB interconnection point with TAP and follows the same route.
“Today’s initiative marks another important and concrete step towards increasing energy security and regional cooperation in South-Eastern and Central Europe. By advancing Route 2 and Route 3, we are unlocking the full potential of Greece’s LNG infrastructure – which includes both the Revithoussa terminal and the Alexandroupolis Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) – and further strengthening Greece’s position as a key entry point for diversified gas supplies in Europe. Through DESFA and the Vertical Corridor, Greece enables flexible gas flows from south to north and ensures reliable access to diversified energy resources for the wider region, including Ukraine. The close collaboration between the participating TSOs reflects our shared commitment to a more resilient, interconnected and competitive European energy market – one that serves citizens, supports economies and promotes long-term regional stability,” said DESFA Director General Maria Rita Galli, quoted in the statement.
According to ICGB CEOs Teodora Georgieva and George Satlas, the Greece-Bulgaria pipeline is at the heart of the new routes, offering “flexible opportunities that can change the market.”
“Through Routes 2 and 3, ICGB is strongly participating alongside our transmission and system operator partners in promoting even stronger energy connectivity from South to North. Our joint efforts represent a concrete step towards increased energy independence for Europe, enabling diversified, reliable and competitive access to gas from LNG sources and the Caspian Region,” the two officials said.
In turn, Bulgartransgaz CEO Vladimir Malinov stressed that Routes 1, 2 and 3 are “a tangible and already operational measure” to enhance energy security and guarantee affordable and competitive energy supplies for the countries of Southeastern Europe.
“At the same time, Routes 1, 2 and 3 will provide the much-needed infrastructure to ensure access to reliable natural gas supplies following the total ban on Russian natural gas,” he added.
“Romania, through Transgaz, has initiated, promoted and supported the Vertical Corridor concept since 2016, the first Memorandum of Understanding being signed in Bucharest, in July 2017. The Vertical Corridor and the Trans-Balkan Corridor, part of it, represent essential pillars of energy security that directly contribute to the diversification of supply sources and routes, to the total reduction of dependence on Russian gas and to the strengthening of the energy resilience of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, respectively of the entire Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The signing, on the sidelines of the 6th Ministerial Meeting on the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) in Athens, of the joint letter of the TSOs of Romania, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and the independent operator of the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector to the National Regulatory Authorities of the respective countries, for the request for approval of the provision of special capacity products Route 2 and Route 3, by the month April 2026, inclusive, represents a firm step that the TSOs on the Trans-Balkan Corridor are taking in order to provide Ukraine with gas during this period. These routes will facilitate the transport from Greece to Ukraine of natural gas from diversified sources (LNG and gas from the Caspian Sea) through the Trans-Balkan section of the Vertical Gas Corridor”, said the General Director of Transgaz, Ion Sterian.
He specified that, by implementing the Vertical Corridor, the capacity at the Negru Vodă-Kardam IP will increase from 5.03 billion cubic meters/year to 9.41 billion cubic meters/year, facilitating the takeover of American LNG produced by American companies (Exxon, Cheniere, Chevron, etc.), including from existing LNG terminals in Greece (Revithoussa, Alexandroupolis), as well as from other terminals in the project phase (Dioriga).
“Romania, through Transgaz, is ready to take over additional quantities of natural gas on the pipelines on the Transbalkan corridor (pipelines T1, T2 and T3) to cover the natural gas needs of the region, with Transgaz carrying out the reverse flow works and at the gas metering stations on the T2 and T3 pipelines,” Sterian added.
The General Director of Gas TSO of Ukraine, Vladyslav Medvedev, appreciated that the new supply routes offer additional commercial opportunities for traders in terms of transporting gas from alternative sources to Ukraine at attractive rates, thus strengthening “the position of our system as a reliable partner on the European market.”