Kremlin: Idle Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Bad for Consumers, Economy

Reuters January 19, 2022

On September 10, 2021, the sections of the second Nord Stream 2 pipeline laid from the German shore and Danish waters was connected in a so-called above water tie-in. The opposing pipe strings were lifted from the seabed by the lay barge Fortuna and the pipe ends were cut and fitted together. The welding to connect the two lines took place on a platform located above the water on the side of the vessel. Then the connected pipeline was lowered to the seabed as one continuous string. Credit: Nord

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the fact no gas was being shipped through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany, which is awaiting regulatory clearance, was bad for gas consumers and economic development during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction of Nord Stream 2, which runs on the bed of the Baltic Sea, was completed in September, but it has not been cleared yet by regulators in Germany and the European Union. Germany signalled on Tuesday it could block it if Russia re-invaded Ukraine.

(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)