An EU-backed project to build the first gas pipeline connecting
Finland and Estonia moved closer on October 21 with the signing of a
€187 million investment in the Balticconnector.
Anna Bulakh, Research Fellow, ICDS, International
Centre for Defence and Security in Estonia, told New Europe by phone on
October 21 that “it’s really important to have this pipeline because it
is already bringing incentives for alternatives to appear here because
it creates an integrated market and it creates a bigger demand”.
European Commission President
Jean-Claude Juncker, Estonia’s Prime Minister
Taavi Rõivas and Finland’s Prime Minister
Juha Sipilä
witnessed the signing of the agreement for the Balticconnector, which
aims to end the energy isolation of EU member states by reducing their
reliance on one supplier.
“At this point, in this region, as it is pretty isolated in gas
infrastructure – not electricity but in gas infrastructure – the
alternatives are really, really limited,” Bulakh told New Europe, adding
that the only alternative to Russian gas is the Klaipėda liquefied
natural gas (LNG) terminal in Lithuania.
“At the moment Balticconnector, I mean it’s an important project to
lay out the infrastructure to basically to a least integrate all these
isolated islands in infrastructure. But the really important second step
is actually to connect Lithuania and Poland, finally to connect to
Central European infrastructure network because at the moment it is too
isolated,” Bulakh explained.
“There is no connection still to the Central European pipeline
network that is why, for example, Nord Stream does not affect that much
the supplies here,” she said.
The European Commission noted that when the gas starts flowing by
2020, Balticconnector would unite the Eastern Baltic Sea region with the
rest of the EU energy market.
“Today’s signature shows that the European Union delivers and unites,
Juncker said, who has pushed for close cooperation between EU Member
States and European solidarity. “We are doing more than linking gas
systems of two countries. We are bringing people and Member States in
the region closer together by building a pipeline that unites European
countries,” the European Commission President added.
As part of the Energy Union spearheaded by European Commission’s Vice-President
Maros Šefčovič,
the EU “is building missing energy links, uniting markets, improving
security of supply and ending the energy isolation of Member States,”
Juncker said.
The Estonian premier said the Balticconnector signifies a key
development for Nordic-Baltic energy market integration, for the
region’s security and diversity of supply and for consumer benefit.
Regional co-operation and EU’s contribution allows for a change from
entirely closed to one of the most diversified and open regional energy
markets in the Union with further prospects in upcoming years.
Finland, even though it enjoys good business ties with Russia, sees
the Balticconnector as a project that would help unify the EU energy
market.
The EU Energy Union aims to ensure access of each EU member state to at least three different sources of natural gas.
“Balticconnector is an important milestone in helping to complete EU
wide energy market and improving the security of supply in Baltic Sea
region,” the Finnish premier said.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/estonian-finnish-gas-pipeline-strives-end-eu-energy-isolation/