Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz will this week receive the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo as part of a deal it signed with Turkey’s Botas earlier this year.
Botas and Bulgargaz signed the deal in January, allowing the latter access to Turkish LNG import terminals and the grid.
The duration of the agreement is 13 years and includes a gas transfer of up to 1.5 billion cubic meters per year.
Bulgargaz launched a tender in February for the supply of 1,706,070 MMBtu or 500,000 MWh of LNG on a DES basis and for delivery via a Turkish terminal in April.
According to a statement by Bulgargaz issued on Monday, US LNG exporting giant Cheniere will deliver the first cargo under the Botas deal to the latter’s Marmara Ereglisi onshore terminal in Turkey.
Caretaker energy minister Rosen Hristov and Bulgargaz executive director Denitsa Zlateva will visit the LNG import terminal on Wednesday, the firm said.
Bulgargaz did not provide any additional information.
The natural gas distribution firm said in a separate statement it is proposing to the Bulgarian energy regulator to reduce the gas price for May.
The company said that the proposed wholesale price of 90.10 levs ($50.3) per MWh is 8.21 percent lower than the one in April.
Bulgargaz already imports LNG via DESFA’s import terminal located on the island of Revithoussa in Greece.
It also booked additional capacity at Gastrade’s FSRU-based LNG import project in Alexandroupolis, which is expected to launch operations this year.
Bulgartransgaz has a 20 percent in the LNG import project.