Bulgaria launches long-delayed gas link to Romania

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http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/bulgaria-launches-long-delayed-gas-link-to-romania_1948846.html
Last Updated: Friday, November 11, 2016 - 19:50

Sofia: Bulgaria and Romania launched on Friday a long-delayed interconnector to link their gas transmission networks and diversify resources during possible cuts of Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine.

The 24-million-euro ($27 million) 25-kilometre (15.5-mile) pipeline links the Bulgarian city of Ruse to Romania`s Giurgiu, partially passing under the Danube river, Bulgaria`s economy and energy ministry announced.

"The launch of the interconnector fulfils one of the requirements of the European energy union for building the missing connection between the gas transportation systems of the countries," it said in a statement.

The pipeline has a maximum capacity to carry an annual 1.5 billion cubic metres of gas both ways.

EU member Bulgaria is totally dependent on Russia for its gas consumption.

The country also ships Russian gas coming through Ukraine to neighbouring Turkey, Greece and Macedonia but until recently its gas transportation network was not connected to those of any of its neighbours.

As a result the EU`s poorest country was among the hardest hit during a major cut of Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine in the winter of 2009 and has since launched several projects to link up to neighbouring Serbia and Romania.

AFP

First Published: Friday, November 11, 2016 - 19:50

 

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An aerial view shows the site where a train transporting LNG derailed and exploded in the northeastern Bulgarian village of Hitrino on December 10, 2016. At least five people died and 27 were injured in the blast, emergency services said. Around 20 homes were smashed and many of the residents of the village of some 800 people were evacuated. | Photo Credit: AFP


SOFIA (BULGARIA): December 10, 2016 19:08 IST
Updated: December 10, 2016 19:09 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...ilment-kills-5-injures-27/article16789848.ece


At least 20 buildings in a village were destroyed when gas containers exploded at 5.40 a.m. local time (0340 GMT)
Five people were killed in northeastern Bulgaria following a gas explosion on a derailed tanker train early Saturday, national radio reported. Officials said at least 27 people were injured, many with severe burns.

Nikolay Nikolov, who heads the country’s firefighting department, said at least 20 buildings in the village of Hitrino were destroyed when containers of gas exploded at 5-40 a.m. local time (0340 GMT).

Two tank cars, carrying propane-butane and propylene, derailed at the station in Hitrino, hit electricity lines and exploded, police officials said. The engine driver survived and has been questioned, police said.

Officials earlier had described the cargo as liquefied natural gas.

Many houses on fire

Video footage from the scene showed many houses in the village of 800 on fire and ambulances taking the injured to hospitals.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, who arrived at the site of the blast, urged citizens to donate blood to address shortages at nearby hospitals.

“There will be more casualties,” Mr. Borisov told reporters.

The train had been traveling from the Bulgarian Black Sea port city of Burgas to the Danubian city of Ruse.

 

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Derailed train in Sofia. (Photo: Twitter | @Rus_Eng_News)

Video footage from the scene showed many houses in the village of 800 on fire and ambulances taking the injured to hospitals.

Prime Minister Boiko Borisov was travelling to the village, the government announced. He urged citizens to donate blood to address shortages at the nearby hospitals