German regulator refuses to withdraw Nord Stream 2 from EU gas directive



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The German Federal Network Agency rejected the request by the operator of the Russian pipeline Nord Stream-2 for exemption from the regulation on its part, which takes place in the territorial waters of Germany. A prerequisite for removing the draft from the rules was its implementation until May 23, 2019.

The German Federal Network Agency refused to remove the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline from the scope of the EU gas directive. This is stated in the regulator’s message.

“College number seven on May 15 rejected the Nord Stream-2 petition to exempt from regulation part of the gas pipeline that runs through German territorial waters,” the statement said.

The regulator cited the fact that the project was not implemented until May 23 as the reason for the rejection; this was a condition for removing it from the restrictive rules.

In accordance with the rules of the gas directive, the pipeline operator must reserve at least half of the capacity for alternative suppliers. The directive for gas pipelines arriving in EU countries is required to comply with the regulations on the separation of activities for the supply and transport of gas, as well as for access by third parties. According to the rules onThe Nord Stream 2 operator should be an independent Gazprom company.

Therefore, Nord Stream 2 can only be loaded halfway.

Participants in the trial expect Nord Stream 2 AG to appeal to the Düsseldorf Regional Superior Court. The Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court can refer this matter to the European Court, the newspaper noted.

Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline that should connect Russia to Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The route length is more than 1200 km, the capacity of the new pipeline will be 55 billion m³ of gas per year. The cost of the project is € 9.5 billion, half financed by the Russian Gazprom and five European companies: the Anglo-Dutch Shell, the German Wintershall and Uniper, the French Engie and the Austrian OMV.

Nord Stream-2 is seen as a threat to Europe’s energy security by authorities in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

In 2018 Germany, Finland and Sweden allowed to lay a pipeline through their territory, Denmark gave permission only in 2019.

The construction of the pipeline was expected to be completed before the end of 2019, then the launch of Nord Stream 2 was postponed until the end of 2020.

At the time of the suspension of work, Allseas had to lay 160 km of pipes along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, reported edition Neftegaz.ru.

In early May 2020, the Russian ship Akademik Chersky reached the Baltic Sea, which could complete the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.



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