A milestone for the future of Thessaly was the supply of the local pipeline network from the EDA THESS CNG decompression station in Tyrnavos. The inauguration of the first CNG station in Thessaly took place on Saturday 20.10.2018, at the Central Square of Tyrnavos.
The event was organized by EDA THESS in cooperation with the Municipality of Tyrnavos, in the presence of Mr. Sokratis Famellos, Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Konstantinos Agorastos, Regional Governor of Thessaly, Mr. Panagiotis Sarchosis, Mayor of Tyrnavos, Mr. Dimitrios Tzortzis, CEO of DEPA, Mr. Venetios Bouras, EDA THESS Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Leonidas Bakouras, General Manager of EDA THESS, as well as Members of Parliament and Local Government representatives.
“Remoteness and distance cannot dictate energy isolation” said Mr. Leonidas Bakouras, General Manager, and briefly presented the history of the collective effort towards connecting remote areas with natural gas, thus changing the energy market. Mr. Bakouras pointed out that in the upcoming period EDA THESS shall continue to supply more remote areas using CNG, providing the necessary know-how for further gas network development and prioritizing network security. By 2022, he underlined, EDA THESS shall implement a €3.5m investment plan with 50% of the population of Tyrnavos enjoying the benefits of natural gas.
He concluded stating that the timely and successful outcome of the project was due to the concerted actions of the people of EDA THESS and thanked them for their contribution to this venture – and especially the shareholders of EDA THESS, namely ENI and DEPA.
He also thanked Mr. Bouras, EDA THESS Chairman of the BoD, RAE, Mr. Famellos, Deputy Minister for the Environment and Energy, Mr. Sarchosis, Mayor of Tyrnavos and the Region of Thessaly.
Finally, Mr. Bakouras reminded the attendees that in the Region of Thessaly, by the end of November 2018 Kalambaka in the Municipality of Meteora and Elassona in the Municipality of Elassona are also expected to be supplied.
Mr. V. Bouras, EDA THESS Chairman of the Board of Directors, underlined the significance of the day for the town of Tyrnavos, as the second in whole Greece and first in Thessaly CNG Station is established to give domestic, commercial and industrial consumers the opportunity to enjoy the most energy-efficient commodity.
Mr. Dimitrios Tzortzis, CEO of DEPA referred to the opportunity for off-network consumers to use gas without any additional financial burden and stressed that besides CNG, innovative natural gas policies shall continue with the implementation of new technologies such as “smart networks”, digitization and “smart meters”.
Mr. Sarchosis, Mayor of Tyrnavos, described gas connection as a historic milestone in infrastructure development in Tyrnavos and special reference was made to the installation of the water supply network in the ‘60s and sewerage network in the ‘90s. “Such historic milestones for the town are keeping the whole area from underdevelopment” he stated.
Mr. S. Famellos, Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, started by deeply thanking all those who worked towards the fast implementation of the connection of Tyrnavos with natural gas. “Behind every major change, there are people”, he said, “and currently there are people in Greece who wish things to be done, not only better but in the right way as well”, he added praising the contribution of EDA THESS, in shaping the new energy map of the country.
Mr. K. Agorastos, Regional Governor of Thessaly, congratulated those who worked to bring natural gas to Tyrnavos and wished “a good and cheap use of gas to the citizens of Tyrnavos”.
The event ended with the symbolic flame touch, thus marking the successful course of EDA THESS, which continues its work remaining faithful to the implementation of the Development Plan set to bring gas to even more new areas.
GAS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
THESSALONIKI-THESSALIA S.A.
