The launch of Nord Stream construction
Construction of the 1220 km long underwater Nord Stream pipeline was on Friday officially started near Vyborg, by the coast of the Baltic Sea.
With the symbolic welding of two pipeline segments, the construction phase of the Nord Stream pipeline started on Friday. The ceremony was attended by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and EU Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger, as well as the Nord Stream consortium’s shareholders from Russia, Germany and the Netherlands.
“I am confident that the Nord Stream gas pipeline will become another link between Russia and Europe. Its construction meets our long-term goals – and I would like to emphasise this point – it correspondents to the objective of developing our national economies. And, of course, this is our contribution into Europe‘s energy security,” Medvedev said at the ceremony, a Nord Stream press release reads.
See slide show from the ceremony here
The consortium of Gazprom, BASF Wintershall, E.ON Ruhrgas and Gasunie is investing 7.4 billion EUR to create the historical 1,224 kilometre pipeline.
The pipeline runs through the territorial waters of five countries and has met fierce opposition from several European states. The formal approval from Finland and Sweden was obtained only late last year.
