This week, the Danish energy authority authorized Nord Stream 2 AG — the Russian-owned company that operates the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline — to begin work on sealing three sections of the pipeline damaged in explosions in 2022. It is the first step in restoring a pipeline that once supplied up to 40% of Germany’s gas needs.
The Danish Energy Agency said it approved the repairs because it was “obliged under international law to allow the construction and operation of pipelines on the Danish continental shelf”. The estimated cost of the repairs is €622 million.
But one of the two branches of Nord Stream 2 remains undamaged, intact and ready for operation. Although Nord Stream 2 never received final approval from German regulators, it remains pressurized and could technically resume pumping immediately.
That would provide more than half the gas that Nord Stream 1 used to supply before it was destroyed, solving Germany and Europe's energy crisis immediately.
After completing the repairs to the remaining three pipeline branches, Europe could technically double the amount of gas it imports from Gazprom compared to before the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Denmark's move comes just days after Alice Weidel, leader of Germany's far-right AfD party, said "we will get Nord Stream back up and running, you can count on it!". Ms Weidel also promised to destroy all wind turbines in Germany and restore the operation of existing nuclear power plants.
However, restoring Nord Stream is not only an economic issue, but also raises concerns about the EU's energy independence.
Days after Ms Weidel's speech, Polish President Andrzej Duda warned that Germany and Europe should not be tempted by Russian gas.
According to Mr. Duda, Nord Stream poses an energy, military and economic threat to Ukraine, Poland and all of Central Europe. He called for Nord Stream to be "completely dismantled" instead of repaired.
However, for the German people and German industries, the loss of cheap Russian gas is a disaster.
The twin energy shocks of the Nord Stream collapse and the closure of nuclear power plants have led to the biggest drop in German living standards since World War II and an economic downturn comparable to the 2008 financial crisis, according to the Spectator.
According to a recent article published by the New Economic Forum, if the government fails to protect German industry from rising energy prices, Germany's position as the EU's leading economy could disappear.
Meanwhile, the EU itself is struggling to balance punishing Russia economically and finding gas to keep it going. Despite capping prices on Russian oil, freezing Russian assets and other restrictions, the EU has never sanctioned the Nord Stream pipeline itself.
Despite more than 500 different sanctions against Russia and Russian individuals, Europe still imports more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Gazprom than before the Ukraine conflict, with France, Spain and Belgium the biggest importers in 2024.
And although Ukraine stopped transiting Russian gas to Europe from January 1, 2025, most Balkan countries continue to import Russian gas indirectly via Türkiye.
