Austrian company Habau PPS Pipeline Systems was designated to be the builder of the underwater section of gas interconnector Bulgaria – Romania after the gas transmission system operators in the two countries, Transgaz and Bulgastransgas, have signed a 4.57 million euros agreement to this effect with the firm.

“Signing this agreement gives Bulgaria the opportunity to have its first gas interconnector in history”, said Bulgarian Minister of Energy, Temenuzka Petkova.

An underwater section of about two kilometers has delayed the completion of this gas link by almost three years. That’s why this new builder has available 120 days to accomplish this segment.

Giurgiu Ruse pipeline will have a total length of about 25 kilometers, of which 15.4 km in Bulgaria, 5.2 kilometers in Romanian and 4.14 km is underground crossing the Danube River.

The pipeline will have a transport capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Bulgaria to Romania and from Romania to Bulgaria the capacity will be 500 million cubic meters per year. The total project value is 24 million euros and 8.9 million euros are provided by the European Commission.