Schroder: Denmark’s resistance can delay N Stream-2 construction

ST.PETERSBURG, Jun 7 (PRIME) -- Denmark’s refusal to issue a permit to build Nord Stream-2 can undermine its timely completion, Nord Stream 2 AG Board of Directors Chairman Gerhard Schroder said at a business brunch at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.

“Denmark’s policy have putting timely completion of the project in question for many months. We are still waiting for a construction permit,” Schroder said, blaming U.S. pressure.

He said that after elections in Denmark, a possibility for constructive dialogue on Nord Stream-2 may appear. “With this pressure, the former Danish government demonstrated its opposition to the project. We only hope that now, as elections in Denmark approach, a new government will be formed and we will have a reasonable and sane dialogue and any delays (in the project) would be ruled out.”

The Nord Stream-2 project envisages construction of two lines of a natural gas pipeline with an annual capacity of up to 55 billion cubic meters, running from the Russian shore to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Russian gas giant Gazprom is implementing the project together with Germany’s E.ON and BASF, Royal Dutch Shell, OMV, and France’s Engie.

Operator Nord Stream 2 AG said in the third application to the Danish Energy Agency that completion of the construction and the start of its operations could be postponed until the second half of 2020 as Russia has so far failed to secure a construction permit from Denmark. Public hearings in Denmark over the pipeline’s third route will take place on June 19.

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