Helsinki Times: Stress test: Finland among the most vulnerable to gas supply cut-off

Finland and Estonia of EU member states and Macedonia, Herzegovina and Serbia of aspiring member states would suffer the most in the event that Russia cuts off its natural gas supplies to Europe, indicates a stress test carried out on the European gas network.

In the event of an interruption, Finland would practically run out of natural gas immediately due to its all but complete lack of gas reserves.

The vulnerability of Finland, however, is hardly a surprise for the Russian pipeline provides the only supply of natural gas to the country. “With respect to security of supply, this is naturally a problem, although a theoretical one at that. In the event of an interruption, gas would be supplanted by other energy [sources], primarily by oil,” points out Jan Vapaavuori (NCP), the Minister of Economic Affairs.

The stress test is part of the preparations undertaken by the European Union for a possible interruption in Russian gas supplies due to tensions in Ukraine.
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