The Swedish government today issued the permit to Nord Stream AG for the construction of the natural gas pipeline on the continental shelf through the waters of Sweden’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Baltic Sea. 506 kilometres of the 1,223 km long natural gas pipeline will pass through the Swedish EEZ.
“This legal decision is the result of extensive environmental studies, close cooperation with the authorities, as well as consultations with stakeholders and experts over the course of several years,” said Lars O Grönstedt, Senior Management Advisor to Nord Stream AG. Several route options have been carefully investigated and evaluated with consideration to key factors such as environment, maritime safety, fisheries, cultural heritage and dumped munitions.
The Nord Stream Pipeline will transport natural gas from Russia to the European Union in order to meet the energy demand from both enterprises and households. An increased share of natural gas in Europe's energy mix is part of the necessary shift from a fossil fuel to a renewable energy system.
The permit by the Swedish government is one of five national permits needed for the project. Denmark was the first country to grant a construction permit on 20 October 2009. With two permits now granted, Nord Stream is another step closer to its planned start of construction in Spring 2010. Nord Stream is aiming to obtain all required permits by the end of 2009.
The construction of the Nord Stream Pipeline is planned to start in the first quarter of 2010, with the first pipeline operational in 2011 and the second in 2012.
“This legal decision is the result of extensive environmental studies, close cooperation with the authorities, as well as consultations with stakeholders and experts over the course of several years,” said Lars O Grönstedt, Senior Management Advisor to Nord Stream AG. Several route options have been carefully investigated and evaluated with consideration to key factors such as environment, maritime safety, fisheries, cultural heritage and dumped munitions.
The Nord Stream Pipeline will transport natural gas from Russia to the European Union in order to meet the energy demand from both enterprises and households. An increased share of natural gas in Europe's energy mix is part of the necessary shift from a fossil fuel to a renewable energy system.
The permit by the Swedish government is one of five national permits needed for the project. Denmark was the first country to grant a construction permit on 20 October 2009. With two permits now granted, Nord Stream is another step closer to its planned start of construction in Spring 2010. Nord Stream is aiming to obtain all required permits by the end of 2009.
The construction of the Nord Stream Pipeline is planned to start in the first quarter of 2010, with the first pipeline operational in 2011 and the second in 2012.