New pipeline boosts EU bid to ease energy crisis

A natural gas pipeline between the Greek-Bulgarian borders, ready to be operational in June, is the EU's latest bid to ease reliance on Russian supply. It aims to complement the existing European network.

The pipeline would give alternative sources of gas to countries such as Bulgaria who heavily rely on Russian supply.

The pipeline link will run between the northeastern Greek city of Komotini and Stara Zagora, in central Bulgaria, and will provide the two countries and their neighbors access to new grid connections to the expanding global gas market.

That includes a connection with the newly built Trans Adriatic Pipeline carrying gas from Azerbaijan as well as suppliers of liquefied natural gas arriving by ship, such as Qatar, Algeria and the United States.

The $250 million pipeline, funded by Bulgaria, Greece and the EU will carry 3 billion cubic meters of gas per year, with an option to be expanded to 5 billion. EU plans to fully cut its dependence on Russian oil and gas over the next five years.