Southern Gas Interconnection project entails the construction of 180 kilometers long gas pipeline, 160 of which in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and is worth around 100 million euros.
The USAID project of Assistance to the Energy Sector in BiH and gas company BH-Gas announced the beginning of the campaign of informing the public about the Southern Gas Interconnection project.
This project will connect the current transportation gas pipeline of BiH with the Croatian system of gas pipelines on the Zagvozd-Imotski-Posusje-Novi Travnik stretch, with a branch toward Mostar. The project will also ensure the security of gas supply in BiH and enable new natural gas supply sources in BiH. In addition to the reduction of the emission of harmful gases in the industry and in the households, an additional benefit of the realization of this project is that it would attract foreign investments and open the possibility of hiring local companies and local workforce. US Ambassador to BiH Eric Nelson said that this project is important for BiH, because the connection to the Croatian gas pipeline will enable a diversified source of supply of natural gas, increase the security of has supply and improve the harmonization of BiH with the obligations of the EU Energy Community. The security of supply and the diversification of sources make a country more independent. Not only that, the availability and increased use of natural gas will have a positive impact on the environment as well. The Director of BH-Gas Jasmin Salkic said that the company managed to successfully finalize the negotiations with Srbijagas and Gaspromet this year and secure sufficient amounts of gas for the upcoming winter season. He expressed hope that the project of Southern Gas Interconnection and the positive atmosphere around it will send the message that all parties to join the negotiations and that the much needed Law on electricity and natural gas on the state level will finally be adopted in order to regulate the market, as in the other countries of the region.
