A joint venture comprising Italy’s Renco and Greek construction company Terna have been selected to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project’s compressor stations.

In Greece, the contract will cover the provision of EPC services and commissioning of one compressor station at Kipoi, near the Greek-Turkish border.

In Albania, EPC services will be offered in addition to commissioning of one compressor station at Fier, and one metering station at Billisht.

The metering station has been designed to measure natural gas coming from TAP’s Greek section.

“Renco and Terna will be responsible for further securing of additional subcontractors to implement specific parts of the contract assignments.”

Planned to begin in the second half of 2016, the construction of the compressor stations is expected to take about two years to complete.

The stations will be built in such a way that they have minimum impact on the environment and local communities.

In September 2015, Siemens secured a contract for the supply of six gas turbine turbo compressor units to be incorporated into the compressor stations.

TAP managing director Ian Bradshaw said: “I would like to congratulate our successful compressor stations EPC contractors, Renco and Terna, for their strong bid, as well as thank all the companies who participated in this tender process.

“Renco and Terna will be responsible for further securing of additional subcontractors to implement specific parts of the contract assignments.”

TAP will transport Caspian natural gas to Europe and will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea.

Construction of the pipeline is planned to begin in 2016.