The European Union is investing and supporting gas pipeline infrastructure between Finland and Estonia to unite the European energy markets.

The European Commission has today allocated 187.5 million euros for the construction of the first Estonia-Finland gas pipeline, also known as Balticconnector. Once ready, the pipeline will run between Inkoo, Finland and Paldiski, Estonia.

According to the Commission, the offshore gas transmission pipeline is consistent with the key objectives of the so called Energy Union, by ending the gas isolation of North-Eastern Europe and developing the Baltic regional energy market.

“Diversifying energy sources and routes, and uniting the energy markets, is at the heart of the Energy Union,” says Miguel Arias Cañete, EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy. “This is key to ensuring secure, affordable and sustainable energy for all EU citizens. What the Commission has started with the Poland-Lithuania pipeline (GIPL) we are now pursuing with the support to Balticconnector.”

The EU’s financial support to the pipeline comes from the Connecting Europe Facility program and corresponds to 75 per cent of the needed funding. The pipeline will be constructed jointly by Baltic Connector Oy (Finland) and Elering AS (Estonia) and it will include Finnish onshore and offshore sections, as well as an Estonian onshore one.

The pipeline is expected to be operational by December 2019.

Source: www.goodnewsfinland.com, balticconnector.fi
Photo: absfreepic.com