Bulgartransgaz EAD, in its capacity of an owner and operator of Chiren UGS, and pursuant to the obligations under item 5.2.5.1. of the Emergency Action Plan (the Plan), announces the available storage, injection and withdrawal capacity for natural gas quantities to cover the seasonal fluctuations and the allocation procedure during gas year 2026/2027. Updated Emergency Action Plan is available here.
According to item 5.2.5.5 of the Plan, enterprises supplying natural gas to consumers of uneven consumption shall be obliged to notify the competent authority and Bulgartransgaz EAD of the exact natural gas quantities they should store according to items 5.2.5 and/or 5.2.5.1, prior to the beginning of the injection season, and within the due period they shall submit to Bulgartransgaz EAD an application for booking yearly capacity products to cover the injection, withdrawal and storage of the respective natural gas quantities. Application Standard form can be found here and Appendix 1A to the application form can be found here.
For gas year 2026/2027, the injection period is from 11.05.2026 until 20.10.2026, inclusive (163 days);
The withdrawal period for gas year 2026/2027 is from 01.11.2026 until 30.04.2027, inclusive (181 days);
The periods from 21.10.2026 until 31.10.2026, inclusive (11 days) and from 01.05.2026 until 10.05.2027, inclusive (10 days) are periods of technological pause when no physical injection or withdrawal is performed, while users have the opportunity to book interruptible capacity in both directions. During these periods nominations shall be fulfilled in a balanced way in both directions, taking into account the possibilities for compensation with gas available in the gas transmission network, without jeopardizing the operating mode and efficient system operation.
Information on the available storage capacity in Chiren UGS that can be nominated for injection and withdrawal by gas months and gas days under the Plan, is available here.
Applications can be submitted by 5:00 p.m. (local Sofia time) on 16 February 2026 (Monday) at Bulgartransgaz EAD Registry office, by registered mail or courier service to the following address:
Bulgartransgaz EAD, Lyulin 2 residential area, 66 Pancho Vladigerov Blvd., 1336 Sofia, Bulgaria p.b.3
Any application received at the above address by 5:00 p.m. (local time, Sofia) on 16 February 2026 (Monday) shall be considered received on time.
Bulgartransgaz EAD provides an additional opportunity to the interested parties to submit their applications for capacity for gas year 2025/2026, signed and scanned, as well as all appendices and required documents in line with the Rules for use of Chiren UGS via e-mail to info@bulgartransgaz.bg. Any application received at e-mail info@bulgartransgaz.bg by the end of the day (00:00 a.m. local Sofia time) on 16 February 2026 (Monday), shall be considered received on time.
The procedure of submitting applications, the requirements to potential customers and the principles and methodology for capacity allocation are laid down in the Rules for use of Chiren UGS, approved by decision under Minutes No. 787/12.03.2024 of a meeting of Bulgartransgaz EAD Management Board. The Rules apply for capacity allocation in Chiren UGS for gas storage year 2026/2027.
Any requests for clarifications and additional information on the announced Procedure for natural gas storage capacity allocation in Chiren UGS for gas year 2026/2027 pursuant to the Emergency Action Plan, can be submitted in writing via e-mail: info@bulgartransgaz.bg.