BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 29. The Nea Mesimvria interconnection point of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) in Greece will become bidirectional from October 1.
TAP Managing Director Luca Schieppati made the announcement on September 29 on the sidelines of the Italy Energy Summit.
"From October 1, the Nea Mesimvria interconnection point will become bidirectional, strengthening market integration and increasing the flexibility of the gas system," he said.
This will enable the point to function as both an entry and exit point, allowing natural gas to flow in both directions between the TAP system and Greece’s National Natural Gas System (NNGS) operated by DESFA.
Schieppati added that in almost six years of commercial operations, TAP has demonstrated its strategic importance for Europe.
"More than 62 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas have been transported through the pipeline to date, with nearly 10 bcm supplied annually to Italy, accounting for around 15–16% of the country's total gas imports. Since 2026, TAP has made an additional 1.2 bcm per year of long-term capacity available," the managing director explained.
He also noted that TAP is continuing to prepare for a lower-carbon future through initiatives involving biomethane, hydrogen blending, electrification and new technologies for CO₂ management.
"Under the Carbon Management Plan for 2026–2030, we aim to further reduce emissions and emissions intensity. In the long term, TAP aims to consolidate its role as an interconnector within Europe's energy network, transporting progressively decarbonized gas and renewable gases in support of security of supply," Schieppati said.
In the short term, against the backdrop of the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, TAP continues to play a strategic role in ensuring security of supply by diversifying sources and routes, strengthening interconnections and making effective use of existing gas infrastructure, he added.
TAP forms the European section of the Southern Gas Corridor, through which natural gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is delivered to European markets. The 877-kilometer pipeline runs from the Greek-Turkish border through Greece and Albania, crosses the Adriatic Sea and reaches the southern coast of Italy. TAP has an initial capacity of 10 bcm of gas per year, with the potential to increase capacity to 20 bcm per year.
