Russia to use Nord Stream 2 for domestic needs
Russia's Gazprom intends to use the onshore capacity of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to serve the domestic market in the country's northwest, the company said on May 5.
Nord Stream 2's future has been up in the air since Germany suspended the certification process necessary for the pipeline's commercial operation on February 22, in response to Moscow's recognition of Ukraine's eastern breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent. Russia's subsequent invasion of Ukraine has led to calls by European politicians for the pipeline to be dismantled.
"Due to the fact that the Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline is currently not in use, and taking into account the implementation of gas supply for consumers in northwest Russia, Gazprom has decided to use the excess onshore gas transmission capacity of Nord Stream 2 for the development of gas supply to the regions of northwest Russia," the company said in a statement.
Even if the pipeline is permitted to flow gas to Europe in the future, Gazprom said that the commissioning of the second of its two 27.5bn-m3/year strings may not begin until 2028.