The two pipelines linking Russia and Germany through the Baltic remain closed. The causes are still unknown
The Swedish Maritime Authority has warned this morning of two leaks in the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, in the Baltic Sea. The announcement has come shortly after the Danish authorities warned that they had detected a gas leak in the Nord Stream 2 project, in waters belonging to Sweden and Denmark. Although the two passages remain closed, they contain gas, which must remain at a constant pressure.
The causes of the leaks from the two gas pipelines, which are very close to each other, in an area about 20 kilometers southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm, are still unknown. For the moment, both Sweden and Denmark have prohibited maritime traffic within a radius of nine kilometers and have also closed the airspace in the area. The two countries remain on alert and closely monitor leaks. Pipe breaks occur rarely, so the infrastructure management company has decided to “increase the level of emergency” and “ensure surveillance” of the two gas pipelines, in an “unprecedented” situation. “It is impossible to estimate the time needed to recover the gas transportation infrastructure,” the operating company has pointed out.
For its part, Russia has been “very concerned” with the situation and has called for an “in-depth” investigation into what happened. “Right now we cannot rule out any option, not even that it is sabotage,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a news conference.
Already at dawn, the Danish authorities have warned ships not to approach the area, because the gas from Nord Stream 2 was leaking into the sea. Although its start-up was canceled at the beginning of the year in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the gas pipeline had been “technically prepared” and “filled with gas”, as explained by its management company.
This same night the operator of the Nord Stream 1 has also reported a reduction in pressure in this facility due to two other leaks. “The reasons are being clarified,” Nord Stream AG said. The European Commission is closely monitoring the evolution of the situation and its impact on the environment.
The Berlin government is also vigilant, but ensures that this does not affect the country’s gas supply. And it is that this conduit has also been closed since September, when Russia cut off the flow of gas arguing problems in an energy station near Saint Petersburg, when in reality it was a retaliation for European sanctions on Moscow.