Although the Nord Stream pipeline can easily be repaired in a year, it is not clear if Germany would like to receive Russian natural gas. Klaus-Dieter Maubach was the outgoing CEO of German energy giant Uniper. Uniper was Russia’s largest gas customer prior to Moscow cutting off Nord Stream.
Maubach stated that “The first question to answer is: What’s the political will at a European level, and in Berlin, to bring Russian gas into Germany?” The statement was made on Tuesday at the annual Handelsblatt Energy Summit.
The German government rescued Uniper last summer as the company’s losses continued to mount following Russia’s reduction of gas supplies via Nord Stream in June and then cutting supply in September.
Uniper, operator of Wilhelmshaven’s import terminal, welcomed the first tanker carrying LNG at its newly opened LNG terminal. The cargo arrived from Calcasieu Pass, an export facility in the United States.
Despite accusations from Russia, the investigation into the Nord Stream blasts at the September end continues.
Sweden’s refusal of sharing information on the sabotage Nord Stream pipelines is “puzzling,” Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said last week.
The explosions at Nord Stream 1 (or Nord Stream 2) gas pipelines in Baltic Sea were caused by explosives, Sweden stated in November. It also noted that the incident was “gross sabotage.”
After Germany halted certification due to the Russian invasion, Nord Stream 2 wasn’t put into operation. Russia shut down Nord Stream 1 for good in September. It claimed that it was unable to repair its gas turbines due to Western sanctions.