Spain Mulling Building Gas Pipeline Through Italy After France's Rejection - Minister

Umer Jamshaid Published August 25, 2022 | 10:46 PM

Spain will seriously consider the construction of an underwater gas pipeline to Italy after France rejected a similar proposal, Teresa Ribera, Spanish Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th August, 2022) Spain will seriously consider the construction of an underwater gas pipeline to Italy after France rejected a similar proposal, Teresa Ribera, Spanish Minister for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, said on Thursday.

France opposed the idea of building a pipeline from Spain, saying that the construction would take a long time and incur additional costs, and that the proposal would contradict the European policy of phasing out fossil fuels by 2050. The government of French President Emmanuel Macron also expressed the doubt that the pipeline could be used for the delivery of green hydrogen in the future.

"This is the option that we should seriously consider," Ribera told the Antena 3 broadcaster when asked about the possibility of building a gas route through Italy.

The minister noted that the pipeline is expected to connect regasification plants in Spain's Barcelona and Italy's Livorno, between which gas is currently being transported by gas carriers, reducing the costs twofold in the medium and long term.

"Spain does not need to export gas Spain is ready to help Europe. So, if Europe needs help, it is important that the European institutions and governments of these countries also take part in the debates," Ribera added.

Gas prices in Europe have skyrocketed throughout the year, exceeding $3,000 per 1,000 cubic meters in August amid waning Russian energy supplies. Russian energy giant Gazprom announced its plans to reduce supplies via a key gas pipeline starting July 27 to no more than 33 million cubic meters per day, 20% of the pipeline's nominal capacity.

On Friday, Gazprom announced that gas transportation via Nord Stream 1 would be suspended for three days, from August 31 to September 2, due to the scheduled maintenance of the only working gas pumping unit at the Portovaya compressor station.