Nord Stream brings Russian gas to Western Europe through underwater pipelines. In order to double the capacity, the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 1 should be expanded. An overview from the beginning to the stop of Nord Stream 2.
1997: The first feasibility studies examine where exactly the pipeline could run in the Baltic Sea.
September 2005: In the presence of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, a consortium of large energy companies signs an agreement to build underwater pipelines through the Baltic Sea. Poland, the Ukraine and Belarus see the plans as competition to their land lines and fear for income from transit fees.
March 2006: Schröder, who had played a key role in pushing ahead with the pipeline as head of government, became chairman of the supervisory board at the operating company Nord Stream AG just a few months after the end of his chancellorship. He has been heavily criticized for this.
April 2010: Construction of the first of two strands of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, 1,224 kilometers long, begins. Each of the two lines consists of 100,000 individual pipes, which are laid in the Baltic Sea with the help of several ships.
November 2011: The first gas flows through the first Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Vyborg in Russia to Lubmin in Germany near Greifswald (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania). Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev symbolically put the route into operation. Environmental groups warn of unforeseeable consequences for flora and fauna in the Baltic Sea.
October 2012: The second strand of Nord Stream 1 starts up. The project, which costs a total of 7.4 billion euros, can now transport 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
September 2015: The partnership agreement for the Nord Stream 2 project is signed. Formally, the sole shareholder is Russia’s energy group Gazprom. There are also several “supporters” – including German energy companies.
March 2018: Construction of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline begins. The gas pipeline should run largely parallel to Nord Stream 1 and be able to transport as much gas again. 100,000 individual pipes are to be laid in two strands. The pipeline was originally planned to start at the end of 2019, but this has been delayed several times due to the lack of building permits.
December 2019: The construction work stops abruptly. The two Swiss pipelay vessels are being withdrawn due to threats of US sanctions. The US argues that Germany would make the pipeline dependent on Moscow. Russia accuses the USA of pursuing their own economic interests and wanting to sell their liquid gas. Russian ships take over the work.
September 2021: According to Gazprom, Nord Stream 2 has been completed but is not yet operational. The construction costs amount to more than ten billion euros.
February 2022: In view of an impending war in Ukraine, the German federal government put Nord Stream 2 on hold. The official reason is that there is no approval from the responsible authorities, i.e. the pipeline is not certified. Shortly thereafter, Russia begins its war of aggression against Ukraine.
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