Lithuania says it will have enough gas for the winter despite damage to the gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland
The pipeline can be restored no earlier than April 2024
Lithuania's gas supply will not be disrupted this winter due to an incident on the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland.
Source. This was stated by Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonite on the radio, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
"There is really no need to be afraid that gas supplies will be disrupted in some way before the heating season, because our terminal, Inčukalnė storage facility and other infrastructure facilities are working," Šimonite said. According to her, the incident showed that the protection of important energy facilities requires even more attention.
At the same time, the Lithuanian energy holding Ignitis grupe expects a 6% decrease in natural gas consumption in the country this year. This was stated by Asta Virbitskienė, Head of Wholesale Gas Sales at Ignitis. According to her, the region's gas infrastructure is sufficient or "even redundant" to meet consumption.
"After the incident at the Balticconnector gas pipeline, Finland is isolated, probably for at least six months. However, this does not change the situation, there are enough natural gas supplies in the whole region and separately in Finland and the Baltic States," she added.
Earlier it was reported that gas consumption in Lithuania in January-June 2023 decreased by 34.3% compared to the same period last year.
It was also reported that the Balticconnector gas pipeline from Paldisk in Estonia to Inkoo in Finland, with a length of 77 kilometers underwater, was shut down on October 8 due to damage. According to the Finnish side, the incident occurred in its economic zone (at a depth of about 60 meters, pipe diameter 50 cm). The cause of the leak and damage to the nearby communication cable is still unknown.
The head of Finland's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Robin Larg, previously stated that the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline was caused by mechanical impact, not an explosion.
The Finnish gas grid operator Gasgrid said that the Balticconnector gas pipeline, which was shut down due to the leak, could be put back into operation no earlier than April 2024.
Background. As a reminder, Finland is investigating a gas leak in an underwater gas pipeline to Estonia, and authorities believe it is sabotage. The President of Finland held consultations with the NATO Secretary General on this issue.
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