Finland approves Nord Stream pipeline

baltic-statesThe Finnish government last week approved the proposal for the construction of the 1,220 kilometre Nord Stream natural gas pipeline which will be routed across the country’s territorial waters.

However, the approval came with the precondition from the government that measures must be taken by Nord Stream to minimise potential marine environment damage.

“The project must be implemented so as not to prevent any future energy, data communications or other infrastructure projects, even if they would intersect with the gas pipelines within Finland’s exclusive economic zone,” said a government press release. The final decision on the project, however, will be made by January by the West Finland Regional Environment Centre according to YLE.

The pipeline itself is planned to run from Vyborg in Russia to Griefswald in Germany. The project is headed by the Russian firm Gazprom with the aid of two German companies. The Nord Stream project hopes to provide natural gas from Russian deposits to a number of nations across the European gas network. From Germany, the natural gas will be then delivered to Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK, with further countries slated to be added to the list.

Around 375 kilometres of the pipeline route lies within Finland’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The path of the proposed pipe passes through the territorial waters of five separate states.

Sweden last week also approved the project.

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