Serbia is preparing to move the Mokrin-Romania gas interconnector into procurement and construction, adding another cross-border supply route as the country expands its transmission, storage and regional gas infrastructure.
The Serbian section of the planned interconnector will extend about 13.1 kilometres, linking Serbia’s transmission network with Romania and, through the Romanian system, the BRUA gas corridor connecting Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria. The full project includes approximately 86 kilometres of pipeline in Romania and is designed to transport at least 1.6 billion cubic metres of gas annually in both directions. Serbia plans to complete its section in 2027, bringing closer to implementation a project that has been under discussion for several years.
Romanian connection adds another regional supply route
The significance of the project extends beyond the length of the Serbian pipeline. Romania has become an important element of gas diversification in Southeast Europe through its domestic production, transmission connections and links to wider Central and Eastern European markets. A direct Serbian connection would add another entry route alongside existing links with Hungary and Bulgaria and a planned interconnector with North Macedonia. For Serbia, the additional connection would expand the physical network through which gas can enter the country, reducing reliance on a limited number of supply routes.
Domestic transmission capacity becomes critical
The cross-border project also increases the importance of Serbia’s internal gas infrastructure. Incoming gas can only be used efficiently if the domestic transmission system has sufficient capacity to transport it to storage facilities and major consumption centres. Serbia is consequently preparing a broader expansion of its gas network. The World Bank approved $600 million for Serbia’s Gas Sector Development Program in September. The programme is structured as a multi-phase initiative spanning approximately 10 years.
Its first phase, worth around €170 million, will begin with the Trupale-Pojate transmission pipeline as well as institutional and technical reforms. Subsequent phases are expected to cover additional pipelines and storage infrastructure.
Mokrin-Banatski Dvor corridor planned
Another planned route would connect the Mokrin area with Banatski Dvor, Pančevo and Belgrade, establishing a transmission corridor between gas entering Serbia from Romania, the country’s main storage infrastructure and its largest industrial and urban demand centres. Planning documents envisage approximately 150 kilometres of new transmission infrastructure along that route. The Romanian interconnector is therefore part of a wider redesign of Serbia’s gas transmission system rather than a standalone border project.
Industrial demand creates additional commercial requirements
The expansion of cross-border infrastructure also coincides with changes in Serbia’s gas supply market. Serbia has already completed its interconnector with Bulgaria, providing physical access to Azerbaijani gas and LNG entering Southeast Europe through Greece. Bulgaria’s state-owned Bulgargaz has also obtained a Serbian wholesale gas-trading licence, increasing the number of companies that could potentially use regional supply routes.
The Romanian connection would provide another direction for gas procurement.Large industrial consumers in chemicals, metals, food processing, construction materials and district heating could potentially access supplies through multiple physical routes if different suppliers use the expanded network. This would make pipeline capacity, cross-border capacity bookings, storage access and transparent transmission tariffs increasingly important commercial factors. The infrastructure is also relevant as Serbia develops additional gas-fired generation and uses gas as part of its transition away from more carbon-intensive fuels.
Construction and storage capacity remain key execution issues
The project’s implementation depends on coordinated construction and commissioning on both sides of the border. Romania is responsible for a substantially longer section of the interconnector, making completion of both national sections necessary before the route can operate as planned. Serbia must also expand downstream transmission capacity sufficiently to prevent constraints after additional gas enters through Mokrin. Storage infrastructure represents another part of the system. Additional import routes provide limited security benefits if Serbia lacks sufficient storage capacity or cannot move stored gas quickly towards major consumers during periods of elevated demand.
The next stage of Serbia’s gas strategy therefore involves building the physical infrastructure needed to connect alternative supply sources with domestic consumption. The Mokrin-Romania interconnector, associated domestic pipelines and the wider gas-sector investment programme are being developed alongside Serbia’s existing regional connections, with the Serbian section of the Romanian link targeted for completion in 2027. The World Bank’s $600 million programme includes a €170 million first phase focused initially on the Trupale-Pojate pipeline and institutional and technical measures.
