Bulgaria and the United States of America will work to deepen cooperation in the energy industry. This was the focus of the conversation of the Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov with Laura Lohman, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources of the USA. At a meeting in the capital Washington, the two discussed various opportunities for cooperation, touching on issues of common interest to both countries.
Minister Stankov emphasised the Vertical Gas Corridor initiative as an opportunity to ensure a diverse and sustainable supply of natural gas to Eastern, South-Eastern and Central Europe. He highlighted the progress in the implementation of the project, which is aimed at securing additional quantities of natural gas from various reliable sources for the markets in the region. "By the end of this month we expect the construction permit for the section of the project Kulata - Kresna to be received, and shortly after that we expect the first sod to be turned," he announced.
Minister Stankov and Ms. Lohman also discussed the supply of liquified natural gas from the USA through the terminals in Alexandroupolis and in the neighbouring countries to Bulgaria as an opportunity for it to reach the heart of Europe. In this regard, Minister Stankov highlighted the strategic location of our country and the well-developed national gas infrastructure.
The active cooperation between Bulgaria and the USA in the field of nuclear energy was also discussed during the meeting. "The construction of units 7 and 8 of Kozloduy NPP is a priority project for the Bulgarian government," Zhecho Stankov stressed. The Minister of Energy and the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources of the USA discussed the opportunities for accelerating the project implementation process and underlined its strategic importance for Bulgaria and the region of Southeast Europe.