Leaks detected in Nord Stream pipeline

Sweden’s Maritime Authority has issued a warning about two leaks in Nord Stream 1, following another leak on Nord Stream 2, near Denmark. The Nord Stream pipeline links Russia to Europe and has been at the heart of the energy crisis since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. All three leaks are said to be in Swedish and Danish waters.

With the Danish Maritime Authority warning ships to steer clear of the affected areas, questions are being raised over the causes of damage to both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Some authorities, including Germany, speculate that the damage  has been caused by a planned attack. Consequently, authorities are calling for an investigation into the causes of the leaks and pressure drops.

Whilst the pipeline was not pumping gas at the time, Nord Stream is the key infrastructure supplying Europe with natural gas to heat homes, supply electricity and run factories. As European countries struggle to source gas from outside of Russia, energy bills have increased, putting pressure on governments to provide solutions and aid to such energy price rises.