Denmark passes law that could ban Nord Stream 2 from going through its waters
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) — Denmark passed a law on Thursday that could allow it to ban Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from going through its waters on grounds of security or foreign policy.
 |
| Courtesy of Gazprom. |
The measure amends Denmark's regulatory framework to allow the authorities to cite security or foreign policy as reasons to block a pipeline. Previously these were not valid grounds for objection.
Denmark has been caught in a geopolitical conflict as Russia's Gazprom and its European partners have sought to build Nord Stream 2, a giant pipeline to pump natural gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea, bypassing existing land routes over Ukraine, Poland and Belarus.
The proposed route goes through Danish waters, but the pipeline consortium is investigating an alternative route north of the Danish island Bornholm which would run in international waters and therefore not be impacted by a potential Danish ban.
Nord Stream 2 has already applied for permission in Denmark and its application is being assessed at the Danish Energy Agency. The change to the law will take effect from Jan. 1 but apply to applications that have already been submitted.
In June, Danish energy and climate minister Lars Christian Lilleholt said he expected the agency to have completed its assessment during early 2018.
Reporting by Erik Matzen and Stine Jacobsen; Additional reporting by Teis Jensen; Editing by Peter Graff
- Freeport LNG export plant in Texas reports shutdown of liquefaction train
- TotalEnergies and Mozambique announce the full restart of the $20-B Mozambique LNG project
- Five energy market trends to track in 2026, the year of the glut
- RWE strengthens partnerships with ADNOC and Masdar to enhance energy security in Germany and Europe
- Venture Global wins LNG arbitration case brought by Spain's Repsol
Comments