Norway-Poland Baltic Pipeline to being operations
The two-billion-dollar Baltic Pipeline between Norway and Poland is scheduled to begin operating this week.
The pipeline will provide a vital source of Norwegian natural gas for the Polish energy market. Europe is beholden to Russian energy imports, which have been reduced or significantly disrupted since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Future Russian import routes, such as Nord Stream 2, have also been canceled. The entire European energy market is facing a crisis of historic proportions, and the new pipeline provides welcome relief.
The pipeline is unlikely to ameliorate systemic issues in the European energy market. Energy needs are being amplified by a reduction in nuclear capacity at the same time that Russia is using natural gas exports as a form of political leverage. The increased capacity because of this new pipeline will not reduce the internal and external political pressures that the European Union faces this winter.
The European Union will very likely vigorously pursue new channels for its energy supply, as was evidenced by the new gas deal with Azerbaijan in August. There is also likely to be a focus on the development of Liquified Natural Gas terminals to receive maritime imports of natural gas.
