Poland’s determination to pursue vitality independence from Russia

F&D: In 1991, when your authorities was elected, you determined that the nation wanted to free itself from dependence on Russian pure fuel. How did that call come about?

NAIMSKI: We entered workplace by the top of the yr, and out of the blue at the start of January, provides of [Russian] fuel began to be decrease and decrease. At the moment, fuel was already a considerable a part of our vitality provides. We convened a particular committee to judge which industrial installations needs to be minimize off from our vitality provides in case of necessity.

The Russians at the moment had been very disorganized, as a result of in December 1991, they’d dissolved the Soviet Union. In Moscow, they stored telling us, “Don’t fear, that is solely due to our organizational issues.” And by mid-January they resumed provides.

However this was actually an indication for us of what may occur sooner or later. On the time that Russians had determined a couple of sure new technique for central European international locations—which had been going out of the Soviet sphere of affect—they selected this plan to “substitute tanks with pipelines.”

So we began to search for different options for diversification of the provides.

F&D: After just a few false begins and adjustments in authorities, in 2016 you began talks on the development of the Baltic Pipe. How essential is that for Poland’s vitality safety, and for Europe’s?

NAIMSKI: The Baltic Pipe could have 10 billion cubic meters of  capability per yr. That is about half of  Polish demand and can substitute one hundred pc of Russian deliveries.  Along with an already operational LNG [liquefied natural gas] terminal and not too long ago commissioned interconnectors with Lithuania and Slovakia, Poland shall be freed from Russia’s hostile fuel maneuvers. That is particularly essential at this time, when Europe has to confront Russia’s weaponizing of hydrocarbon deliveries.

Want for a brand new pipeline from north to south:

F&D: Most present fuel pipelines run east to west. You have got talked usually in regards to the want for north-south pipelines. What’s the rationale?

NAIMSKI: That is essential as a result of, if we wish to actually diversify our sources and technique of transportation for central Europe, we have now to assemble transmission strains fully otherwise from what was executed by Russian—or Russia-dependent—establishments, governments, or economies. 

For this reason we’re commissioning a pipeline interconnected between Poland and Slovakia. And the Slovaks, they’ve already interconnected with Hungary, they usually have plans to lastly full a hyperlink with the Romanian system. And truly, this concept of linking Świnoujście [on Poland’s Baltic Coast] with Krk Island [on the coast of Croatia] was the premise for these north-south fuel transmission methods. The Baltic Pipe is a part of this new risk. 

Most international locations have to assume severely about vitality necessities and dependence.

This entry was posted on December 16, 2022 at 4:39 pm and is filed below Economics – macro, micro etc, Speech / Interviews. You possibly can comply with any responses to this entry by way of the RSS 2.0 feed.
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