UPDATE 2: Gazprom says Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline fully completed

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MOSCOW, Sep 10 (PRIME) -- The Nord Stream-2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany has been fully completed, gas giant Gazprom said in its official Telegram channel on Friday.

“At the morning meeting, CEO Alexei Miller said that construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline had been fully completed today at 8:45 a.m. Moscow time,” the company said.

Nord Stream 2 AG, the project’s operator, said in a statement that the “the sections of the second Nord Stream 2 pipeline laid from the German shore and Danish waters have been 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 company will now carry out pre-commissioning activities “with the goal to put the pipeline into operation before the end of this year,” the operator said.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the question of when Germany may give permission for supplies via the new route should be redirected to Gazprom.

“Everyone is interested that it happens as fast as possible,” Peskov said, adding that “both countries” are interested. “This question is not for the Kremlin but for Gazprom. The presidential administration does not participate in these negotiations, cannot participate, this is not our prerogative.”

Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman, said that “the timing of the start of commercial supplies depends on the position of the German regulator.” She also added that “we expect that millions of European consumers will soon be able to receive Russian gas via the shortest, most economical and environmentally friendly route.”

A representative of Germany’s Stralsund mining authority said that it has not yet received the necessary documents qualifying the Nord Stream-2 for issuing permission to receive gas.

“The documents for both strings have not yet been submitted. Permission to receive gas (i.e. connection point) can be issued only after the submission of documents,” the representative said.

A representative of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s energy authority declined to comment on the possibility of the Nord Stream-2 starting up in October.

“Regarding the plans of Nord Stream 2 AG, please contact the company directly,” the representative said.

Poland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Zbigniew Rau said at a news conference that the position of his country, which has been against this project, has not changed and that Warsaw, Berlin and Paris “will work together to stop potential consequences of this decision (Nord Stream-2 construction).”

Austrian Minister for Digitalization and Economic Affairs Margarete Schramboeck told PRIME that the country welcomes the completion of the project and that she believes the pipeline will enhance reliability of energy supply of Europe.

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, Austria’s OMV, and France’s Engie. The project is strongly opposed by the U.S. and several European states.

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