Finland is reportedly considering requesting help from NATO in the investigation
FILE PHOTO: A compression station of the Balticconnector marine gas pipeline in Inga (Inkoo), Finland. © Mikko Stig / Lehtikuva / AFP
A probe into leakage from Balticconnector, an undersea gas pipe connecting Finland and Estonia, has been launched based on suspicions that the route was deliberately damaged, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
According the statement, released by the Finnish government earlier on Tuesday, the authorities located the damaged area of the gas pipe and detected a flaw in a communication cable to Estonia.
Finland is due to hold a news conference at 5.30pm on Tuesday to discuss the gas pipeline leak.
The Balticconnector pipeline was shut down on Sunday morning due to a suspected leakage. Commenting on the stoppage, senior executive at Finnish state-run energy company Gasgrid Janne Gronlund said that the link may remain offline up to the end of the upcoming winter.
Launched in 2019, the 77-kilometer (47-mile) pipeline link that is used to transfer gas from a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal in Finland to Estonia has an annual capacity of 2.6 billion cubic meters.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said in its latest statement that Helsinki was in constant contact with its allies and partners, Yle News reported.
“I had a conversation with Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today. NATO is ready to assist in the investigations,” the head of state told the media.
The investigation has revived concerns about the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure following explosions at the nearby Nord Stream pipelines. The natural gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany was blown up in an apparent act of sabotage last year. European countries have since stepped up security of infrastructure in response.
European gas prices rose as much as 12.7% on Tuesday, reaching the highest level in around two weeks. The latest surge is attributed to the news about the Balticconnector shutdown, as well as the halt of production at a field in Israel by the US energy giant Chevron.
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