A gas pipeline in Baltic Sea which was badly damaged last year in an incident still under police investigation resumed commercial operation as planned today after months of repairs, the network operator said Gasgrid Finland.
The gas pipeline Balticconnector, connecting Estonia and Finland undersea, was severely damaged in October along with three telecommunications cables, affecting energy security and raising alarm in the wider region.
“I can confirm that the Balticconnector is working normally”, stated at Reuters The Jane Gronlunda Gasgrid executive.
About 60 GWh of natural gas will be directed from Finland to Estonia today, he added. Finnish police have named the Hong Kong-flagged container ship NewNew Polar Bear as the main suspect in causing the damage, saying last year it was too early to say whether it was an accident or a deliberate act.
A large anchor, believed to have belonged to the Chinese ship, was found near the pipeline, and investigators said the pipeline and telecommunications cables likely broke when the anchor was dragged to the seabed.
Finland has said it has had constructive talks with China about the incident and that Chinese authorities have promised to cooperate fully in the investigation into the pipeline.
“There is progress in the investigation and we have cooperated with the Chinese authorities in solving the case.”he said in an email to Reuters National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of Finland.
The Chinese ship remains the focus of the investigation, according to police.
“Freighter NewNew Polar Bear and its anchor are believed to be connected to the pipeline damage”the NBI reported, adding that it will likely take months before the final results of the investigation are announced.
Damage to the pipeline Balticconnector they occurred a year after the explosions in 2022 that destroyed the largest pipelines Nord Stream, which transported Russian gas to Germany. No suspects have been named in connection with those explosions.
The Estonian company is responsible for the operation of the Balticconnector Elering and Finnish gasgrid, each of which owns 50% of the pipeline.
The pipeline has more northbound transmission capacity after the repairs due to the strengthening of the Latvia-Lithuania interconnection, which allows larger volumes to be transported in the region, Finland has said.
News today:
Freddy Beleris: The background of a candidacy that changed the pre-election landscape
The 12 ministers who take responsibility for regions for New Democracy ahead of the European elections
57 arrests for Lyggeridis murder – Accusations and participation in a criminal organization
Tags: gas pipeline connecting Estonia Finland operation months repairs
