BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.11
By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:
Croatia considers imperative to further develop gas supply projects from the Caspian region, Trend reports referring to the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan for the Republic of Croatia for the period 2021-2030.
“The construction of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Krk island, in addition to increasing the diversification of gas supply, will create preconditions for gas transmission to third countries, and indirectly increase the efficiency of the gas transmission system and reduce the average transport tariffs. The same impact will be achieved by building the IAP,” reads the national energy plan of Croatia.
“For the purposes of diversification of gas supply routes, in addition to the construction of the LNG terminal, it is planned to connect to the Ionian Adriatic gas pipeline. For the purposes of diversification of electricity supply routes, construction of interconnectors to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Serbia is being considered.”
The document reads that it is imperative to increase activities to strengthen the diversification of gas supply by further developing gas supply projects from the Caspian region or the Eastern Mediterranean.
“It is also necessary to develop all projects that can increase gas transmission through the Croatian gas transmission system and, consequently, increase the efficiency of the gas transmission system of the Republic of Croatia itself more actively,” Croatia believes.
Possible time of implementation of the IAP project hasn’t been announced yet.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) was signed in August 2016 by Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and SOCAR.
In September 2016 it was announced that SOCAR will be a technical consultant in IAP project.
Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) allocated 2.5 million euros worth grant for IAP in February 2017.
The work on setting up a company for implementation of the IAP project is expected to be completed in 2020.
Implementation of Terms of Reference for the Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) project started. The Terms of Reference have been agreed upon among stakeholders in April 2018, and the implementation started in May 2018.
Albania, Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro are planning to finalize the preliminary design of the IAP, which provides for the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Southeast Europe, by September 2020.
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