The Nord Stream II natural gas pipeline project received the second of two permits required to construct and operate the planned natural gas pipeline in the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the project developer company Nord Stream II AG said on Thursday.
The Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland, in accordance with the Water Act, granted the second permit required to construct and operate the planned natural gas pipeline in the Finnish EEZ ensuring that the permit procedure for Finland is now finished.
The second permit follows on from the granting of the first permit by the government last week for consent to use Finland's EEZ.
'This is an important day for our project: following a very thorough analysis and extensive engagement, the Finnish authorities have approved our detailed plans to construct and operate the 374-kilometer Finnish section of the 1,230-kilometer-long Nord Stream II pipeline,” said Tore Granskog, the permitting manager, Finland at Nord Stream II AG.
Germany - another country on the project's route - has also granted all the necessary permits for the project.
According to the Nord Stream II AG company, the national permit procedures in the other three countries along the pipeline route – Russia, Sweden and Denmark – are proceeding as planned.
The Nord Stream II project will be a twin subsea gas pipeline, running for about 1,230 kilometers through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany and for about 374 kilometers across Finland’s EEZ.
The Nord Stream II pipeline will be laid in 2018–2019 and will become operational at the beginning of 2020.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr