Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting with petrol company representatives and Ministers of Energy, Agriculture and Tourism, Interior Minister, Socrates Hasikos admitted that despite initial programming, the move, which was supposed to have been completed by January 2017, was both practically and operationally impossible.

The removal of the gas installations will be programmed along the same lines as that of the fuel.

Energy Minister, Giorgos Lakkotrypis in his statements following the meeting, said that the process involving the transfer of the installations had been based on three lines; state reserves, private gas reserves and private liquid fuel reserves.

The state reserves have already been transferred and the Cyprus Petroleum Storage Company has invited tenders for the dismantling of its Larnaca installations which is expected to be completed within the first quarter of 2017.

The transfer of private fuel deposits is a little more complicated, but it was agreed during Thursday’s meeting to speed up the process of the transfer in order for the private petrol companies to complete the move by the end of 2017.

“We will then give emphasis and priority in constructing the necessary gas storing facilities which at the moment do not exist at Vasiliko,” said Lakkotrypis continuing to confirm that the fuel companies have set 2019 as the target for moving gas reserves to Vasiliko.

Playing down Larnaca municipality’sthreat to fine the petrol companies for each day they delay in moving their stockpiles, Hasikos concluded saying “Stay focused on the larger picture that finally, the transfer of fuel and gas stockpiles from the Gulf of Larnaca to the Vasiliko Energy Centre has already started.”

Source: InCyprus