Denmark’s energy infrastructure on alert after Nord Stream gas leakages
Denmark’s Energy Agency has asked the national infrastructure operator to raise its alert level for the gas and electricity sector following leaks at three different sections of gas pipe near Baltic Sea island Bornholm.
The Energy Agency confirmed in a statement that it had made the request of Energinet, the company responsible for the overall operation of the Danish electricity and gas system.
“Breaches of gas pipelines occur extremely rarely and we therefore see the need to raise the alert level as a result of the events we have seen during the last day,” Danish Energy Agency director Kristoffer Böttzauw said.
“We want to ensure thorough observation of Denmark’s critical infrastructure to strengthen supply security going forward,” he said.
The alert level has been raised to orange, the second-highest level.
Orange level means that companies in the sector are to be alert to security at their facilities.
The higher alert level means that “the physical security of vital buildings and installations is checked,” Böttzauw told news wire Ritzau.
“You make sure that fences are intact, that security cameras are working and that there are regular patrols. And you limit access as much as possible,” he said.
The energy agency director was not drawn to speculate on the cause of the leakages, which occurred on sections of the Nord Stream 2 and Nord Stream 1 Russia-to-Europe gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
“It’s too early to say [what caused it]. We will naturally do all we can to investigate together with the relevant authorities, including the military and police,” he said.
The Nord Stream 1 leaks were first spotted Monday evening, an hour after a drop in pressure was reported in Nord Stream 2, according to the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA).
One of the leaks on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline occurred in the Danish economic zone and the other in the Swedish economic zone.
Danish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to photograph the area on Monday after Danish authorities were alerted to a possible leak.
Newspaper Jyllands-Posten reported that the aircraft observed the “sea bubbling” at a location southeast of Bornholm.
The Danish Navy frigate Absalon has meanwhile been sent to the area around Bornholm, broadcaster DR reports.
The frigate will observe the area and warn civil maritime traffic to keep a distance, according to DR.
READ ALSO: Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline hit by ‘leaks’ in Swedish and Danish zones
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The Energy Agency confirmed in a statement that it had made the request of Energinet, the company responsible for the overall operation of the Danish electricity and gas system.
“Breaches of gas pipelines occur extremely rarely and we therefore see the need to raise the alert level as a result of the events we have seen during the last day,” Danish Energy Agency director Kristoffer Böttzauw said.
“We want to ensure thorough observation of Denmark’s critical infrastructure to strengthen supply security going forward,” he said.
The alert level has been raised to orange, the second-highest level.
Orange level means that companies in the sector are to be alert to security at their facilities.
The higher alert level means that “the physical security of vital buildings and installations is checked,” Böttzauw told news wire Ritzau.
“You make sure that fences are intact, that security cameras are working and that there are regular patrols. And you limit access as much as possible,” he said.
The energy agency director was not drawn to speculate on the cause of the leakages, which occurred on sections of the Nord Stream 2 and Nord Stream 1 Russia-to-Europe gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
“It’s too early to say [what caused it]. We will naturally do all we can to investigate together with the relevant authorities, including the military and police,” he said.
The Nord Stream 1 leaks were first spotted Monday evening, an hour after a drop in pressure was reported in Nord Stream 2, according to the Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA).
One of the leaks on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline occurred in the Danish economic zone and the other in the Swedish economic zone.
Danish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled to photograph the area on Monday after Danish authorities were alerted to a possible leak.
Newspaper Jyllands-Posten reported that the aircraft observed the “sea bubbling” at a location southeast of Bornholm.
The Danish Navy frigate Absalon has meanwhile been sent to the area around Bornholm, broadcaster DR reports.
The frigate will observe the area and warn civil maritime traffic to keep a distance, according to DR.
READ ALSO: Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline hit by ‘leaks’ in Swedish and Danish zones
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