The reports providing a comparative environmental assessment of the route options for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline in Russia have received positive feedback from the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Experts from these respected research institutions supported the selection of the Narva Bay route as the preferred option based on the comprehensive analysis of social and environmental factors.

In April 2017, Nord Stream 2 AG began the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure in Russia. In addition to the project documentation required by Russian legislation, the company made available for public review materials on a comparative environmental assessment of the route options for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline in Russia. The reports prepared by the independent environmental consultants present the results of the comprehensive studies and analysis of various technical, environmental, social and economic factors. Based on this analysis, the Narva Bay route in the Kingisepp district of the Leningrad region has been defined as the preferred option due to its lower environmental and social impact.

A.A. Tishkov, professor and deputy director of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said: “The experts at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences provided positive conclusions to the reports on comparative assessment of the route options for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline in Russia. The reviewed documents presented strong arguments justifying the selection of the Narva Bay route as the preferred option. Construction work here would have lower environmental and social impact; the impact on the ecosystems along the coastal strip and shallow waters would be minimal.”

M.B. Shilin, a professor at the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University in the Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Ecology, said: “The Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University working group peer-reviewed the submitted documents and concluded that the Narva Bay route is a preferred option in terms of biodiversity preservation and environmental risks when compared to the Kolganpya Cape route. The reliability of the assessment is beyond doubt. The degree of validity and reliability of conclusions and recommendations is high.”

G.E. Vilchek, head of Nord Stream 2’s Permitting group in Russia, underscored: "Our mission is to implement the project while taking into account environmental and social factors, safety requirements for pipelines, and the necessity to deliver additional gas to the Kingisepp district. We have done a lot of work to select the optimal route. I am glad that reports providing a comparative environmental assessment of the route options for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline in Russia have been positively assessed by the experts of these renowned institutions."

Nord Stream 2 AG is engaged in a constructive dialogue with NGO experts to ensure that public opinion is being taken into account in decision-making.

Detailed information on the route selection for landfall in Russia can be found at https://www.nord-stream2.com/permitting-russia/selecting-route-russia.

The final decision on the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline route in Russia will be made by the competent Russian authorities based on the conclusion of the state environmental experts taking all aspects into account.

About Nord Stream 2

Nord Stream 2 is a planned pipeline through the Baltic Sea, which will transport natural gas over 1,200 km from the world’s largest gas reserves in Russia via the most efficient route to consumers in Europe. Nord Stream 2 will largely follow the route and design of the successful Nord Stream pipeline. With Europe’s domestic gas production projected to halve in the next 20 years, Nord Stream 2’s twin pipeline system will help Europe to meet its future gas import needs, with the capacity to transport 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year, enough to supply 26 million European households. This secure supply of natural gas with its low CO2 emissions will also contribute to Europe’s objective to have a more climate-friendly energy mix with gas substituting for coal in power generation and providing back-up for intermittent renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar power.