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"This project is an excellent example of cooperation between Russia and the European Union, in the field of energy supply," stressed the Chancellor. This is the crucial precondition for the functioning of European economies. In future too Europe will be counting on a secure and robust partnership with Russia.

Along with the Chancellor, the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the French Prime Minister François Fillon, the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the EU Commissioner for Energy Günther Oettinger attended the inauguration ceremony.

Reliable energy supplies in the long term

The Nord Stream pipeline will carry gas from Russia to Europe. It is to consist of twin pipelines, each 1,224 km in length. Both will run through the Baltic Sea, from Portovaya Bay close to the Russian town of Vyborg to Lubmin on Germany’s Baltic coast.

The first line is now operational, making it possible to transport an additional 27.5 billion cubic metres gas to Germany, and then onward mainly to France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

Nord Stream plans to complete the second line by the end of 2012, giving the pipeline the capacity to transport up to 55 billion cubic metres of gas a year – enough to supply more than 25 million European households. As a low-CO2 fuel, gas has an important part to play in Europe’s future energy supply.

Cooperation offers opportunities

Secure energy sources are essential. The Chancellor believes that both Russia and Europe stand to benefit from the pipeline. Europe will see its energy security enhanced, while Russia gains reliable customers for its gas. "We will thus be closely linked to one another for a period of decades to come," said Angela Merkel. This cooperation offers major business opportunities, she added.

Nord Stream has shown that a project on this scale can be responsibly managed by a private company, said the Chancellor. Work started on the pipeline project in 2006.