Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline hit by leaks in Baltic Sea: authorities

COPENHAGEN: Two leaks have been identified on the Nord Stream 1 Russia-to-Europe gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, hours after a similar incident on its twin pipeline, Scandinavian authorities said Tuesday.

“Authorities have now been informed that there have been another two leaks on Nord Stream 1, which likewise is not in operation but contains gas,” the Danish climate and energy minister Dan Jorgensen told AFP in a statement.

Following the leaks, Jorgensen said the authorities called for “higher levels of preparedness in the electricity and gas sector” in the country.

One of the leaks on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline occurred in the Danish economic zone and the other in the Swedish economic zone.

Like the leak on Nord Stream 2 the day before, the incidents are “subject to safety measures”.

The Nord Stream 1 leaks were first spotted Monday evening, hour after a drop in pressure was reported in Nord Stream 2, according to the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA).

“Around 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) we received a report from a passing ship saying they saw something on their radar a little further north of the island of Bornholm,” Fredrik Stromback, spokesman for the SMA, told AFP.

As a result of the leaks, navigational warnings have also been issued for a distance of five nautical miles and a flight height of 1,000 metres (3,280 feet).

“The incidents on the two pipelines have no impact on the supply to Denmark,” Jorgensen said.