Macedonia, Government said it has started a process to reserve capacity at future LNG terminal

North Macedonian Government said it has started a process to reserve capacity at future liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Alexandroupoli in northern Greece.

The statement from the Government said that this will lead to the opening of a second route for gas supplies to the country. At the moment, North Macedonia gets gas only from Russia through the TurkStream gas pipeline via Bulgaria.

Last year, state-owned National Energy Resources (MER) and power utility ESM have signed a Memoranda of Cooperation (MoC) on investments in the projects for the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Alexandroupoli in northern Greece and nearby gas-fired power plant.

North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said that the country will invest more than 380 million euros in 25 % stake in 800 MW gas-fired power plant and 10 % stake in LNG terminal.

MER signed a MoC on the acquisition of 10 % stake in LNG terminal with the Copelouzos Group, a shareholder in the project’s operator Gastrade, while ESM signed a MoC with Gastrade on the reservation of capacity at the terminal and another one with Damco Energy, also a part of the Copelouzos Group, on the acquisition of 25 % stake in gas-fired power plant.