Polish PGNiG Says Nord Stream 2 Will Increase Risks for EU Gas Supplies

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will increase threats to the security of gas supplies to the European Union, Polish gas giant PGNiG said in a submission as part of the certification procedure for the pipeline’s operator.

Poland, which has taken steps to reduce its reliance on Russian gas supplies, has on many occasions expressed its objections to Nord Stream 2, saying it will further strengthen Gazprom’s dominant position in the region.

“The current situation on the European Union gas market proves the scale of the risks for security of supplies created by the Nord Stream 2 project,” PGNiG chief executive Pawel Majewski was quoted as saying in a statement.

“Since there is spare capacity on the existing pipelines, there is no need for Nord Stream 2 to increase gas supplies to the EU Member States,” he added.

The pipeline, funded by Russian energy giant Gazprom and its European partners, is expected to gain certification from a German regulator to begin commercial sales of natural gas, although the approval process could take several months.

Russia has said Nord Stream 2, which is set to double Moscow’s annual gas export capacity under the Baltic Sea to 110 billion cubic metres, could provide relief to the European gas market, which has been grappling with tight supplies and soaring prices.

Source: Pipeline & Gas Journal