Turkey's Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS), Italy's EDISON, and Greece's DEPA will sign a memorandum of understanding for the Turkey-Greece-Italy Natural Gas Pipeline that will carry natural gas from the Caspian region to Europe. The signature ceremony will take place in Ankara's Rixos Grand Hotel. Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz, President of the Executive Board and Director General of BOTAS Fazil Senel, Vice-President of Italian Electric and Natural Gas Company EDISON Roberto Poti and President of the Executive Board of Greek State Natural Gas Company Herry Sachinis will participate in the signature ceremony.
The Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy (ITGI) Project is considered to be one of the EU's most crucial projects. The natural gas pipeline will be 804 kilometers long and will go into service in 2015. ITGI pipeline begins in Azerbaijan and ends in Italy. Once completed, the pipeline will carry around 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Greece and Italy per year. Bulgaria was the last country that joined the ITGI Project. Experts say that Serbia and Romania may join the project either directly or indirectly.
