The German Federal Ministry of Economics has completed the security of supply analysis in the Nord Stream 2 certification process and transmitted it to the country's energy regulator Federal Network Agency. The energy regulator will now review the project for a maximum period of four months and decide or not to award it an operating license.
The construction of the €9.5bn (US$11bn) Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was completed in September 2021, doubling the throughput of the current Nord Stream route between Vyborg (Russia) and Greifswald (Germany), from 55 bcm/year to 110 bcm/year. It is developed by Gazprom (50%), Uniper, Shell, OMV, Wintershall, and Engie (10% each) and construction started in May 2018.
In August 2021, the Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court refused to exempt the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from the application of the renewed EU Gas Directive (the ruling can be appealed). The rules require the owners of pipelines to be different from the suppliers of the gas that flows in them to ensure fair competition.