Brussels, 24/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Hungarian section of the Nabucco gas pipeline project, the infrastructure which will carry gas from the Caspian Sea and Central Asia towards the European market via Turkey but circumventing Russia, was granted the last environmental permit required mid-August. The permit was granted after a preliminary environmental impact assessment (PEIA) and a detailed environmental impact assessment submitted by Nabucco to the relevant Hungarian authorities, i.e. inspectorates for environmental protection, nature conservation and water affairs (IENWs).
“The granting of this permit is a substantial step forward in Hungary and signifies the advanced stage of development of Nabucco West. Based upon the intergovernmental agreement, the cooperation with the Hungarian authorities has been exemplary. We are committed to following best practices in line with national and international regulations”, Reinhard Mitschek, Managing Director of Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH, commented on 14 August. “The next steps in Hungary are now to finalise the front end engineering and design for Nabucco West and to continue the process of obtaining the necessary permits for construction”, explained Gabor Bercsi, Managing Director of the Nabucco National Company in Hungary.
The Nabucco pipeline will transport gas from the vicinity of the Turkish-Bulgarian border through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria, ending near the Central European Gas Hub at Baumgarten. The Hungarian section of the route is 384 km long. (AN/transl.jl)