Moscow announced on Wednesday that Nord Stream 2, one of the gas pipelines that spans the Baltic Sea and was damaged in an incident that was widely thought to have been the result of sabotage, may be used to transport gas supplies.
The pipeline is genuinely in a technically suitable state, according to an early assessment of Nord Stream 2, said Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak on Russian state television today.
Novak urged Russia to take part in the investigations into the damage that happened late last month and promised to send gas to Europe via Nord Stream 2.
On September 26 of last year, underwater observers captured several large explosions. Later, the pressure in Nord Streams 1 and 2 dropped, and bubbles appeared on the water’s surface.
Despite the fact that neither pipeline was in service due to the EU-Russia energy crisis, natural gas, which is primarily composed of the planet-warming gas methane, was leaking rapidly.
Investigations into the mystery incidents are ongoing, and they occur while tensions between Europe and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine are at an all-time high.
A large portion of Europe relies on Russian gas, but in early September, Nord Stream 1’s gas supply was cut off when Moscow claimed it could not be returned for technical reasons relating to Western sanctions imposed after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
As a fallback, Russia is now promising to send gas via Nord Stream 2.
The pipeline has not, however, been put to use as of yet.
However, according to Novak, gas could occasionally be delivered by Nord Stream 2.
His remarks come as countries in Europe look for other gas supplies before the winter because of the high prices.
Moscow’s response to the leak: Gas can still flow through Nord Stream 2 if necessary.
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