Siemens is ready to build part of a power plant in Crimea, in spite of the European and international embargo.
According to an investigation by Reuters, the builders of two power
plants in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory Crimea have finalised
plans to install turbines made by a joint venture of Siemens.
Siemens says its joint venture is only for making turbines for a
separate plant on Russia’s Taman peninsula, which is separated from
Crimea by a strait, but not for plants inside in Crimea itself.
However, three separate sources told Reuters that two power plants in
Crimea are being built to house Siemens turbines. The sources, who are
all familiar with the technical details of the plants, said they are
compatible only with Siemens turbines.
The sources include one person involved in the plant project itself,
one employee of a company working alongside state builder
Technopromexport on the project, and one person from a company that bid
on the construction tender. All three spoke on condition of anonymity.
EU sanctions bar European individuals and companies from providing
energy technology to Crimea, and from taking any actions designed to
circumvent those rules.
If the turbines end up in Crimea – which one of the sources said
could happen as soon as within the next two months – it could test the
limits of what is allowable under sanctions imposed by the European
Union after Russia annexed the territory from Ukraine in 2014. Legal
experts say there are no court precedents to say whether Siemens could
be held responsible if a third party brought the turbines to Crimea.
The European Commission in Brussels had no specific comment about the
Siemens turbines and said it was up to EU member countries to enforce
sanctions rules on their companies: “The restrictive measures adopted by
the EU are clear. Their implementation is in the hands of the member
states,” a spokeswoman said. (with Reuters)
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/siemens-take-part-crimea-power-project-spite-sanctions/