The Bulgarian Ministry of Energy has announced that the first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has successfully arrived in Bulgaria via the newly commissioned LNG terminal in Alexandroupoli, Greece. This inaugural delivery, sourced from Norway, was made by TotalEnergies Gas and Power, which won the first of five tenders launched by Bulgargaz for gas supplies scheduled between October 2024 and February 2025. The shipment consisted of 1 million MWh of LNG, contributing to the Bulgarian gas market.
Part of this quantity will be integrated into Bulgaria’s October gas mix, alongside supplies from Azerbaijan and the Chiren underground gas storage facility, resulting in improved pricing conditions for consumers.
Caretaker Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov hailed this development as a historic moment for both Bulgaria and the wider southeastern European region. He noted that the decision made years ago to become a shareholder in the LNG facility is now paying off, as Bulgaria achieves real diversification in its gas supplies.
Malinov emphasized that this shipment from TotalEnergies marks the first-ever delivery at the new terminal, which aims to provide access to a range of reliable LNG sources, including the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.
The commercial operation of the new LNG facility commenced on October 1, coinciding with the start of the 2024/2025 gas year. The terminal boasts a storage capacity of 153,500 cubic meters and a regasification capacity of up to 5.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually. Bulgargaz has secured a capacity of 1 billion cubic meters of LNG to be unloaded at the terminal, which is nearly fully booked for its initial five years of operation.
