The Bulgaria-Romania-Hungary-Austria gas pipeline was due to be finished this year, but unforeseen occurring events caused a halt in the construction several times, therefore a year’s delay is announced now. Transgaz announced the new, much awaited completion date in its financial report issued for the first half of this year.

The company actually provides reasons for the misfortunate change of plans in a document entitled “The plan for the development of the national gas transport system for the period 2019-2028”.

“With all the efforts made by Transgaz for the realization of the BRUA Phase I project, during the implementation of the project, problems were encountered which, cumulatively, affect the full implementation of the project within the assumed period.”

Changes within the regulations, administrative delays were only part of the problem. The severe season changes of the Central European climate, the fierce negotiations with landowners and Europe’s protective laws of archeological sites are also delaying factors.

„The issues are mainly arising from the conduct of the tender procedures, the completion and improvement of the legislative framework, the identification of archaeological sites, meteorological – adverse conditions that have manifested over long periods of time, the extension of negotiations with some land owners / users, and a large number of changes that appeared during the execution of the works”, specify Transgaz officials, quoted by Agerpres.

The Romanian Ministry of Economics issued a press release on the 17th of July, stating that Transgaz has already completed nearly half of the pipeline, and the three compression stations are 80-90% finished as well, thus the announced completion date could actually change for a shorter period in the upcoming future.

Based on www.energynomics.ro