Ukraine opens new gas supply route from Greece: up to 1 bcm annually

On Tuesday, May 27, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission approved Ukraine's participation in an international gas project that will enable the country to import up to 3 million cubic meters of natural gas per day — approximately 1 billion cubic meters per year — via the Trans-Balkan corridor from Greece. The announcement was published on the official websites of both the Commission and the Ministry of Energy.

This development is significant for Ukraine as it enhances the country’s ability to diversify its gas supply sources, which is critical amid ongoing efforts to secure sufficient imports ahead of the coming winter season.

The project involves gas transmission system operators from five countries: Ukraine (Gas TSO of Ukraine), Moldova (VestMoldTransgaz), Romania (Transgaz), Bulgaria (Bulgartransgaz), and Greece (DESFA).

One of the key features of the initiative is the introduction of a single joint auction to allocate transmission capacity across the entire route. This replaces the previous practice of holding separate auctions in each country and is expected to improve both the economic efficiency and attractiveness of the corridor.

"We look forward to positive decisions from all participating countries on the use of the Trans-Balkan route to achieve our shared strategic objectives," said Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.

The Trans-Balkan corridor will also provide Ukraine with access to LNG terminals in Greece — a critical step toward strengthening energy security through diversified sources.

However, since the route passes through five countries, applying regulated transmission tariffs directly makes it commercially uncompetitive compared to other options. In response, the involved gas TSOs have proposed an alternative mechanism that leverages the corridor’s unused capacity, enabling gas imports to Ukraine at a competitive tariff.

• Historically, the Trans-Balkan Gas Pipeline was used to transport Russian gas to the Balkans. In 2019, sections of the pipeline infrastructure in Turkey and Bulgaria were integrated into the Balkan Stream project.
• In 2023, a joint market demand assessment by the gas TSOs of Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova identified a potential need to transport up to 20 million cubic meters of gas per day via the Trans-Balkan route to Ukraine’s underground gas storage facilities.