...

New Trans-Balkan Gas Corridor: First Capacity Auction Set for 29 May

by Roman Cheplyk
Thursday, May 29, 2025
2 MIN
New Trans-Balkan Gas Corridor: First Capacity Auction Set for 29 May

Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine launch a joint monthly booking product—31.4 GWh per day available for June.

Product Overview

Aspect Details
Route Greece ➞ Bulgaria ➞ Romania ➞ Moldova ➞ Ukraine
Capacity on offer (June) 31,356,129 kWh/day
Booking platform Regional Booking Platform (RBP)
Auction format Single-price, firm monthly capacity
Initial auction date 29 May 2025
Validity window June–October 2025, with auctions on the fourth Monday of each month

Note: If significant capacity remains unbooked after the first auction, operators may schedule an additional round before month-end.


Commercial & Strategic Significance

  • Supply security: Adds a southern import corridor, easing pressure on congested Central-European interconnection points.

  • Market attractiveness: Harmonised, cross-border product simplifies contracting for shippers.

  • Infrastructure utilisation: Higher throughput expected for the Trans-Balkan pipeline network.

Vladyslav Medvediev, Acting CEO, Gas TSO of Ukraine (GTSOU):
“Expanding competitively priced import routes is critical for Ukraine’s supply security; the Trans-Balkan corridor fills capacity gaps seen in recent Central-European auctions.”


Operational Conditions

  • Capacity is dedicated exclusively to deliveries into Ukraine; shippers cannot divert gas to national virtual trading points or exit points along the way.

  • Allocation uses the established single-price auction mechanism to ensure transparency and equal access.


Next Steps for Market Participants

  1. Register on RBP with the relevant network codes and collateral.

  2. Submit bids on 29 May for June capacity; monitor announcements for potential supplemental auctions.

  3. Plan ahead for July–October windows—auctions will occur on the fourth Monday of each month.


With this coordinated initiative, five neighbouring TSOs aim to diversify Ukraine’s gas import options and optimise regional pipeline utilisation, strengthening overall energy resilience in south-eastern Europe.

You will be interested