Ukraine lobbies for gas shipment shift from Nord Stream 1 to Ukraine's pipeline

As Ukraine’s energy officials told Reuters, that would make Moscow pay more transit fees that could help Ukraine's wartime defense and deter Russia from damaging Ukraine's gas pipelines in the meantime.

“Representatives from Ukraine's gas pipeline operator and gas firm Naftogaz spent a week in Washington meeting administration officials and congressional lawmakers to urge them to convince Germany and other European allies to adopt the plan,” reads the article.

Russia currently moves 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year to Germany on Nord Stream 1. It moves another 40 bcm to Europe through Ukraine's gas transport system.

Ukraine's pipeline system has spare capacity of more than 100 bcm and could easily absorb the Nord Stream 1 flow.

Ukraine’s officials proposed that 40% of Nord Stream 1's capacity be redirected to the Ukrainian pipeline immediately, gradually increasing to 100% by April 2023. That would give EU states time to build up winter stockpiles and diversify.

As noted, Germany has already halted Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas project, which was designed to double gas shipments into Germany, as punishment for Russia's February invasion of Ukraine. The $11 billion project finished construction late last year but never started.

ol