- Sputnik International, 1920
Russia
The latest news and stories from Russia. Stay tuned for updates and breaking news on defense, politics, economy and more.

Nord Stream 2 'Still Months Away' From Being Put Into Operation, US Media Claims

© REUTERS / NORD STREAM 2/AXEL SCHMIDTSpecialists pose for a picture after welding the last pipe of the Nord Stream 2 gas subsea pipeline onboard the laybarge Fortuna in German waters in the Baltic Sea, September 6, 2021
Specialists pose for a picture after welding the last pipe of the Nord Stream 2 gas subsea pipeline onboard the laybarge Fortuna in German waters in the Baltic Sea, September 6, 2021 - Sputnik International, 1920, 03.11.2021
Subscribe
On 10 September, the Russian energy giant Gazprom announced that construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline had been completed, and that it is only waiting for certification from the German regulator.
The already-completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline may still be "months away" from being put into operation due to the "remaining red tape" hurdles, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

The news outlet argued that the pipeline "might not be approved until 8 May if regulators use all the time they're allowed. Whether the bureaucrats would be willing to accelerate the process if Europe's energy woes intensify remains to be seen".

Bloomberg recalled that Germany's Federal Network Agency has until 8 January to issue a draft decision on certification of the Nord Stream 2 project.
The news agency went on to say that, "approval appears to be a foregone conclusion after the Economy Ministry in Berlin issued an assessment last month saying that Nord Stream 2 poses no risk to the energy supply of Germany and the EU".
© Sputnik / Press-service of Eugal / Go to the mediabankIn this handout photo released by the press-service of Eugal, a view shows the Eugal pipeline, in Germany
In this handout photo released by the press-service of Eugal, a view shows the Eugal pipeline, in Germany - Sputnik International, 1920, 03.11.2021
In this handout photo released by the press-service of Eugal, a view shows the Eugal pipeline, in Germany
According to Bloomberg, problems may arise when the draft decision is handed over to the European Commission for review, which needs to define whether Nord Stream 2 meets EU rules envisaging that "the gas-transport business is separate from production and sales - a process known as unbundling".
Given that the European Commission's findings are not binding, the Nord Stream 2 project will not be shut down, Bloomberg reported, arguing at the same time that a delay is "more likely".
"The EU has two months to reach a conclusion, which can be extended for another two months. Only then can Germany's regulator grant certification - potentially putting Nord Stream 2's starting date well into next year", the news outlet asserted.

Putin Says Russia Waiting for Germany's Go-Ahead Over Nord Stream 2

Bloomberg's claims come after Russian President Vladimir Putin said last month that Russia could start delivering natural gas to Europe via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as soon as Moscow gets the green light from Berlin.

"If the German regulator hands its clearance for supplies tomorrow, deliveries of 17.5 billion cubic metres [of gas] will start the day after tomorrow", Putin emphasised.

He added that Russia was on track to complete filling for the second line of Nord Stream 2 in mid to late December. Last month, pipeline operator, Nord Stream 2 AG, said that the first string of the pipeline had been filled with technical gas.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has, meanwhile, pointed out that "all the German agencies continue to operate, including those that will certify" the Nord Stream 2 project.

"There is no pause, the work continues in a regular mode. We have already said that different scenarios are possible, some are fast, some are slower", Peskov told reporters when asked whether political changes in Germany will affect the timing of the Nord Stream 2's commissioning.

Berlin is currently undergoing a cabinet shift, as several parties are negotiating a new coalition government following the Bundestag elections on 26 September.

Nord Stream 2 Project

A joint venture by Russia's Gazprom and four Western European energy companies, Nord Stream 2 is a 1,230-km twin gas pipeline along the bottom of the Baltic Sea to complement the existing Nord Stream 1 network.
The already completed network is capable of transporting up to 1.9 trillion cubic feet (55 billion cubic metres) of gas per year from Russia to Europe, thus doubling Nord Stream's capacity.
FILE PHOTO: Workers are seen at the construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, near the town of Kingisepp, Leningrad region, Russia, June 5, 2019 - Sputnik International, 1920, 06.10.2021
EU Could Have Avoided Fuel Crisis If It Didn’t Politicise Nord Stream 2, Expert Says
The US and its allies in Eastern Europe, especially Poland and Ukraine, had been opposed to the construction of Nord Stream 2. Washington previously slapped a number of sanctions on the project, arguing that once Nord Stream 2 is operational, Europe will become even more dependent on Russia's energy resources, something that will allegedly help Moscow gain political leverage.
Moscow has repeatedly underlined that the project is purely economic, and the way in which the White House opposes Nord Stream 2 is an example of unfair competition.
Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала