A PCI is Bulgaria's reply to Russian gas supply halt

Back in April, Russia's move was all we could talk about. Now, it seems like the time has come to solve the problem. Because in hopes of fortifying resilience and ensuring the supply against threats from Russia, a Project of Common Interest (PCI) has been announced for an underground gas storage facility in Chiren, Bulgaria.

And it could potentially be a game changer. Why? Because this particular PCI will increase the storage capacity of the only natural gas storage facility in Bulgaria to 1 billion cubic meters. Which could solve, in the near future, many of the country's energy supply issues.

PCI’s are those projects identified by the European Commission as key priorities for interconnecting the EU’s energy system infrastructure.

They are touted as being essential to build an integrated and resilient EU internal energy market while achieving the ambitious climate and energy goals of the European Green Deal.

The project for Chiren Underground Gas Storage (UGS) expansion envisages capacity to achieve larger volumes of stored gas, including increased gas reservoir pressure and higher daily average withdrawal and injection rates.

Also of interest:
REPowerEU mobilises €300bn to end Russian gas dependence
Russian invasion marks ‘end of European energy naivety’ says Ukraine electricity chief

The expansion includes the following technical characteristics:

• Projected working gas volume will be increased by up to 1000mcm (now 550mcm).
  
• Projected daily injection and withdrawal capacity will be increased by up to 8-10mcm/d (currently the maximum daily withdrawal capacity is 3.82mcm/d and the maximum daily injection capacity is 3.2mcm/d).
  
• Cycling rate 1 times/year

Aims and objectives

The project is hoped to: ensure security of supply; enhance market integration for a single interconnected regional and pan-European market; boost market competition; encourage regional gas trading.

In order to achieve these hopes, works will continue in three areas:  design, construction and commissioning of new above-ground equipment; design, construction and commissioning of a new gas pipeline connecting Chiren UGS with the gas transmission system; design, construction and commissioning of underground equipment, including ten new high flowrate exploitation and three observation wells.

The project will benefit from a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)-Energy grant of nearly €78 million ($82.5 million) to Bulgartransgaz EAD for the expansion of the Chiren underground gas storage facility in Bulgaria.

Also of interest:
Siemens exits Russia as a result of Ukraine war
IEA – Cut EU reliance on Russian gas with renewables, nuclear and energy efficiency

In the margins of the Energy Council in Luxembourg, Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson - alongside Bulgarian deputy permanent representative, Ivanka Tasheva and the executive director of Bulgartransgaz EAD, Vladimir Malinov - welcomed the grant award to fund the Bulgarian PCI.

“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,” commented Commissioner Simson.

EUSEW 2022

The announcement itself comes in as the European Commission  opens registrations for this year’s European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2022.

Under the theme Going green and digital for Europe’s energy transition, the hybrid event will take place from 26 to 30 September, 2022.

Full copies of the EUSEW’s extended programme and of the policy conference are available online.