Berlin deems Nord Stream 2 unsuitable for gas supply – Der Spiegel — RT Business News
The German government is said to have feared that the two chains of the pipeline were damaged by explosions in September
German authorities doubt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline can be used for gas supply following September explosions that fractured one of its strings, Der Spiegel reported Thursday.
« It is very likely that the act of sabotage with strong explosions had a negative impact on both chains of the pipeline, so there is currently no technical capacity [to pump gas through it]the government said in response to a parliamentary inquiry by Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leader Leif-Erik Holm.
He hinted that the German government hopes that « the issue of gas supply via Nord Stream was resolved by the explosions.“Holm’s party strongly advocates the launch of Nord Stream 2 and criticizes the government’s policy of distancing Germany from Russia on energy.
Explosions in the two Nord Stream pipelines took place in late September, with damage detected on both strings of Nord Steam 1 and a section of Nord Stream 2. In early October, Gazprom said it was working to stabilize the pressure in the last surviving chain by pumping gas through it, with the aim of verifying its integrity and reducing the potential environmental risks associated with possible gas leaks.
The capacity of the remaining line is 27.5 billion cubic meters per year, equivalent to 8% of total EU gas imports, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. As the chain did not appear to have been pierced by the explosions, Putin suggested that Europe authorize its commissioning to resume gas supplies.
However, while Nord Stream 2 was completed over a year ago, it never went live. Berlin stopped the certification process before Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine.
An investigation into the explosions that damaged Russian pipelines is still ongoing. Moscow denounced the incident as a terrorist attack while Germany, Denmark and Sweden did not rule out that it was targeted sabotage. The United States says no NATO countries were involved.
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