Page 150 - SE Outlook Regions 2024

the available for final consumption).
As well as pursuing a transition away from coal, North Macedonia is also investing into gas.
After a decade of inactivity, the Thessaloniki-Skopje oil pipeline is set to reopen, Greece’s Kathimerini reported on November 23, citing Helleniq Energy’s CEO Andreas Shiamishis. The pipeline is operated by Vardax, a subsidiary of Greece’s Helleniq Energy, formerly known as Hellenic Petroleum, which owns 80% in the company, while 20% is owned by North Macedonia’s government. The turning point came when the competent regulatory authority in North Macedonia issued the licence for the operation of the oil pipeline.
North Macedonia is also set to embark on the project management and development of a gas pipeline initiative, establishing a connection with the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), along with the planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Alexandroupolis in Greece, PM Dimitar Kovacevski said in November 13.
In November, North Macedonia’s gas operator Nomagas called a €83.6mn tender for the construction of a 67-km gas interconnection pipeline connecting the country with Greece. The deadline for sending bids is February 1, 2024. The initial capacity is set at 1.5 bcm annually, with the potential for expansion to 3 bcm per year.
Comprehensive studies have been carried out to ensure that the gas pipeline meets the requisite specifications for the transportation of green hydrogen. The completion of the project is planned for mid-2025.
7.7 Energy & Power - Moldova
Moldova halved natural gas consumption since 2021. The country’s natural gas consumption dropped to 647mn cubic metres in 12 months to September 2023, 39% less than in the previous 12-month period and only 53% of the consumption in the 12-month period to September 2021.
150 SE Outlook 2024 www.intellinews.com