German officials and influential businesspeople discussed the plan Thursday evening in a closed-door meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Economy Minister Robert Habeck, Bloomberg reported, citing representatives from the four organizations that attended the meeting. “The pipeline will be connected to the existing gas infrastructure in Lubmin from spring 2024,” Khabek said at the meeting, referring to the connection point on the mainland, where the inactive Nord Stream gas pipelines also end.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is trying to improve its energy security as the region recovers from a historic supply crisis. Germany stopped receiving gas from Russia in September 2022 following the shutdown of blue fuel delivery via the Nord Stream due to turbine overlaps, and after that even the possibility of supply was destroyed due to explosions in the underwater section of the pipeline. From now on, Berlin depends on liquefied natural gas (LNG), notes the newspaper. To alleviate an electricity shortage exacerbated by the April 2023 closure of the last remaining nuclear power plants, Germany has already opened three floating LNG terminals, and more are expected. Due to environmental concerns, these plans have sparked protests as well as the threat of legal action from local groups if the Baltic Terminal is implemented.
Germany’s economy ministry said on Thursday that the government had purchased unused pipes from the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to build a terminal off the island of Rügen. On Friday, a ministry spokeswoman said she could not confirm Habek’s comments on the timeline, but added: “To our knowledge, Chancellor and Minister Habek have underlined the need for action to be taken. urgently”. The country’s gas industry has also warned residents of gas supply disruptions next winter.
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