DETAILS / SOCAR plans to start the gasification of Korça by the end of 2026

The first commercial supplies of natural gas for the city of Korça are expected to begin by the end of 2026, as part of the gasification project being developed in Albania by the Azerbaijani state company SOCAR.

The news was announced by SOCAR’s Executive Director for the Balkans, Murad Heydarov, who emphasized that the NUR pilot project for the gasification of Korça is already in the phase of technical studies and project preparation.

In an interview with Trend.az, he said the company has started work on the detailed technical design of the gas distribution network in the city. These works are expected to be completed by the end of this year, paving the way for the start of the supply phase, skyweb.al reports.

In parallel with the construction of the distribution network, SOCAR Gas Albania is conducting technical and commercial studies to assess the possibility of supplying Korça with compressed natural gas.

This solution could enable the start of gas supply even before the full distribution network is completed.

The project was previously presented at a public hearing in Korça attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov.

To implement the investment, a draft agreement between the Albanian government and SOCAR has also been prepared, which will serve as the basis for the development of the gasification project.

However, the company does not rule out the possibility that in later phases the gasification may expand to other areas near the city.

The project is considered the first concrete step toward creating gas infrastructure in Albania, a sector that has remained underdeveloped despite the passage of the TAP gas pipeline through the country’s territory.

“KORÇA BOOM”