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Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-05-28
CONTENTS
[01] Natgas to one million Greeks
[01] Natgas to one million Greeks
The government's goal is that another 85,000 Greek households will have
access to the natural gas network by the end of the year, rising to
250,000 households and roughly one million citizens by the end of 2010,
Development Minister Kostis Hatzidakis said on Thursday.
He was speaking during the inauguration ceremony for a new power
station at the Liquified Natural Gas Terminal run by the Hellenic Gas
Transmission System Operator (DESFA) on the islet of Revythousa in
Pachi bay, off the coast of Megara.
Hatzidakis stressed that the natural gas network will be extended to
the Peloponnese as far as Megalopolis, in order to supply the new power
stations built there by the Public Power Corporation (PPC), and from
there to Kalamata and intervening cities. The government was also
examining the possibility of bringing natural gas to Crete, again to
supply power stations in Iraklio and Hania, he said.
The minister also pointed to the start of work on constructing a
compressor station at Nea Mesimvria in Thessaloniki, which will
increase the network's transmission capacity, and plans for new gas
companies to supply Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Central Macedonia and
Central Greece.
Commenting on a recent resurgence of tension between Russia and the
Ukraine over natural gas in the last few days, the minister admitted
that there was an "unstable environment" and that the facilities at
Revythousa were the system's major reserve, as was proved in the crisis
that occurred during the last winter.
"We met the country's needs and also covered Bulgaria," he pointed out,
adding that talks were underway with Bulgaria to hasten funding for a
new pipeline from Komotini to the Bulgarian city of Haskovo.
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