Sofia mayor struggles with heating poverty, gas storage dilemma
The mayor of Sofia has warned Bulgaria's government it faces a choice between fulfilling the EU's gas storage requirements and stopping Bulgarian citizens falling into fuel poverty, BTA reported July 22.
Speaking to a press conference July 22, mayor Yordanka Fandakova said it was "unthinkable" Sofia would divert gas to Bulgaria's main gas storage at Chiren while cutting off heat supply for "over a million people" in the Bulgarian capital.
"That would be a frank admission that they lack the necessary amounts of gas, which is what Bulgargaz admitted a few days ago," Fandakova added.
Bulgaria lost access to gas flow from Russia's Gazprom as Bulgargaz refused to comply with the Kremlin's ruble-only payments directive, issued back in March. Fandakova said the municipal utility Toplofikacia Sofia is yet to recover 332mn lev ($173.6mn) from Bulgarians owed from the last winter season, racking up a debt of 328mn lev ($171.5mn) for uncovered wholesale bills to Bulgargaz.
A new pipeline interconnector to carry Azeri gas to Bulgaria via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline is due to launch October 1, bringing up to 3bn m3/yr in the initial phase. Bulgaria is also backing a new Greek LNG terminal project, situated close to Komotini in the northeastern port town of Alexandroupolis.