The Nord Stream 2 is the gas pipeline joint venture, which is expected to provide an additional route for the Russian gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea, bypassing the three Baltic countries and Poland. Gazprom started the project with a consortium of five largest European energy companies, including Shell and E.ON.
“I strongly believe that the best alternative to Nord Steam 2 is the acceleration of the Southern Gas Corridor, the acceleration of the LNG terminal in Croatia and in Greece as well as the IGB, interconnector Greece — Bulgaria projects,” Hochstein stated.
“The United States is deeply concerned about a pipeline that would endanger the economic viability of Ukraine and Slovakia, that would deepen the rift between east and west, and freezing in time for another generation, and that wouldn’t move the overall energy security concerns and energy union concerns significantly backwards,” he said.
The Southern Gas Corridor is expected to be complete in 2019, according to the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry.The pipeline, which represents a total investment of more than $45 billion and stretches over seven countries, will provide additional natural gas to Europe and Turkey.
