Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SOFIA951
2007-08-07 13:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Sofia
Cable title:
PIPELINE EXPLOSION CUTS GAS TO GREECE
how-toVZCZCXRO3446 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSF #0951 2191316 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 071316Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY SOFIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4086 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SOFIA 000951
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG ECON RU BU
SUBJECT: PIPELINE EXPLOSION CUTS GAS TO GREECE
UNCLAS SOFIA 000951
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG ECON RU BU
SUBJECT: PIPELINE EXPLOSION CUTS GAS TO GREECE
1. (U) Summary: A strong explosion disrupted a section of the
pipeline used for transiting Russian natural gas to Greece on the
morning of August 6. No one was injured in the blast. Officials
quickly ruled out terrorism, blaming instead a landslide caused by
recent heavy rains. Bulgargaz officials state gas supplies to
Greece should resume in two to three days. End Summary.
2. (U) The explosion took place in a mountainous region two
kilometers from the village of Dolno Bulgarchevo near Blagoevgrad,
80 kilometers from the Bulgarian border with Greece. Bulgargaz
officials and Chief of the Blagoevgrad Regional Police Directorate
Konstantin Tityanov immediately ruled out terrorism as the source of
the blast. The Executive Director of Bulgartransgaz, Bulgargaz's
infrastructure construction and repair arm, Angel Semerdjiev,
announced the explosion was most probably caused by a soil shift, as
a result of the recent heavy rains.
3. (SBU) Dimitar Gogov, Executive Director at Bulgargaz, told us
that he preferred to term Monday's event "an accident", rather than
"an explosion." Gogov said that a 10-12 meter section of the
pipeline was destroyed, and repair work was underway. He predicted
that gas deliveries to Greece, which amounted to 2.9 billion cubic
meters in 2006, would resume in two to three days. Gogov said that
while the exact reason for the explosion was not yet clear, he
dismissed speculation that the accident was rooted in obsolete
infrastructure. He noted that this piece of pipe was put in place
in 1995. He said he thought results of a technical investigation
into the accident would be available in about two weeks.
KARAGIANNIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG ECON RU BU
SUBJECT: PIPELINE EXPLOSION CUTS GAS TO GREECE
1. (U) Summary: A strong explosion disrupted a section of the
pipeline used for transiting Russian natural gas to Greece on the
morning of August 6. No one was injured in the blast. Officials
quickly ruled out terrorism, blaming instead a landslide caused by
recent heavy rains. Bulgargaz officials state gas supplies to
Greece should resume in two to three days. End Summary.
2. (U) The explosion took place in a mountainous region two
kilometers from the village of Dolno Bulgarchevo near Blagoevgrad,
80 kilometers from the Bulgarian border with Greece. Bulgargaz
officials and Chief of the Blagoevgrad Regional Police Directorate
Konstantin Tityanov immediately ruled out terrorism as the source of
the blast. The Executive Director of Bulgartransgaz, Bulgargaz's
infrastructure construction and repair arm, Angel Semerdjiev,
announced the explosion was most probably caused by a soil shift, as
a result of the recent heavy rains.
3. (SBU) Dimitar Gogov, Executive Director at Bulgargaz, told us
that he preferred to term Monday's event "an accident", rather than
"an explosion." Gogov said that a 10-12 meter section of the
pipeline was destroyed, and repair work was underway. He predicted
that gas deliveries to Greece, which amounted to 2.9 billion cubic
meters in 2006, would resume in two to three days. Gogov said that
while the exact reason for the explosion was not yet clear, he
dismissed speculation that the accident was rooted in obsolete
infrastructure. He noted that this piece of pipe was put in place
in 1995. He said he thought results of a technical investigation
into the accident would be available in about two weeks.
KARAGIANNIS