DESPA and North Macedonia counterpart sign natgas interconnector agreement

Greece’s gas grid operator DESPA and North Macedonia’s NER JSC Skopje on Friday signed a technical cooperation agreement for the development and construction of a pipeline that will interconnect the natural gas grids of the two countries.

The agreement was signed during the 5th Southeast Energy Forum, hosted in Thessaloniki by the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) and Hellenic Society of Energy Economy (HAEE), in collaboration with the US Embassy in Greece and the strategic participation of the Atlantic Council and the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce.

The agreement was signed by DESFA CEO Maria Rita Galli and NER JSC SKOPJE Executive Director Bajram Rexhepi, in the presence of Environment and Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas and US Ambassador Greece Geoffrey Pyatt.

The technical agreement at company level follows the agreement signed by Greece and North Macedonia In July for the construction of the 123 km pipeline, which will link Greece’s gas grid at Nea Mesimvria with North Macedonia’s at Negotino. It will be able to transport 1.5 billion cubic metres a year with the possibility of doubling this, while the size of the investment is estimated to reach €110 million.

“The Interconnector Greece-North Macedonia will help build regional stability, providing alternatives to Russian gas,” tweeted Pyatt.