Members of parliament raised questions over delays in the natural gas project at Vasiliko, which has been suspended since July 2024, during a meeting of the House Energy Committee on Tuesday. The committee discussed, on its own initiative, the progress of the liquefied natural gas import terminal project.
Energy Minister Michalis Damianos attended the meeting but did not refer to specific timelines for completion of the project, stating that the government’s objective is to proceed with new tendering procedures. He said the government is trying to find a way to continue the project and committed to responding to specific questions at the committee’s next meeting.
The Energy Minister attributed a large part of the delays to public tender procedures, which he said are time-consuming, noting that the legal aspects of the process often take longer than the technical timetable required to complete the project. However, he added that the same applies to interim solutions for the supply of natural gas.
Regarding the FSRU ‘Promitheas’, the Energy Minister said that the vessel, which has come into the ownership of the Republic of Cyprus and is currently located in Malaysia, will be certified once it receives a full cargo. He added that, in any case, there is no jetty in Cyprus for it to be used.
CNA