MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. Nord Stream 2 AG, the operator of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project, has decided to study alternative routes for the pipeline, outside the territorial waters of Denmark, a company official told TASS.

"We continue working according to our plan and the request we filed and we are watching how the situation is developing. But due to the ongoing changes in the legislation and political disputes Nord Stream-2 decided to study alternative routes beyond the territorial waters of Denmark to reduce potential risks," the official said.

On Thursday, the Danish parliament adopted a law allowing the country's foreign ministry to consider the feasibility of laying pipelines through the territorial waters of the kingdom in the light of national security considerations.

According to Reuters, the law was adopted in connection with the planned construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, which may pass through the Danish waters off the island of Bornholm, which requires the consent of the Danish authorities. Previously, this issue was exclusively managed by the Danish Energy Agency, which had the right to reject the request for construction only on the basis of environmental considerations.

In April 2017, Nord Stream 2 AG applied for the construction of a gas pipeline based on recommendations received from the Danish authorities during the planning and construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which now successfully functions. Nord Stream 2 AG considers the route via the territorial waters of Denmark as optimal taking into account environmental standards and safety requirements. The application was filed under the current legislation requirements.

"Our financial investors from Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, as well as the project developer, have repeatedly stressed that the implementation of long-term investment projects requires the rule of law. The volume of investment under contracts currently stands at more than 4.5 billion euros, which creates about 30,000 jobs and involves more than 600 companies from 23 countries, "the company’s representative added.

About the project

The Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline must cross the territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone of Denmark (a 139-kilometer stretch) and pass along the island of Bornholm.

Nord Stream-2 AG should get permits for construction from the authorities of Germany, Russia, Finland and Sweden as the pipeline is expected to go across the waters of these countries. International consultations should be with Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is expected to come into service at the end of 2019. The pipeline is set to run from the Russian coast along the Baltic Sea bed to the German shore. Each of the pipeline’s two lines will have a capacity of 27.5 bln cubic meters. The new pipeline that is expected to connect the Russian resource base with European customers, will double the capacity of the first line and will basically follow its route.

Russian gas giant Gazprom is the only shareholder of Nord Stream 2 AG.

Initially, it was assumed that Engie, OMV, Royal Dutch Shell, Uniper and Wintershall will receive the stakes in the projects. However, in the spring of this year, they signed an agreement on a new financing model. The agreement assumes that European companies are to provide long-term financing in the amount of 50% of the total project cost. That means that ech company is to provide, 950 million euros.