Sweden warns of Nord Stream 1 pipeline leaks

TOBIAS SCHWARZ AFP - STOCKHOLM COPENHAGEN - Sweden's Maritime Authority said on Tuesday it had issued a warning of two leaks on the Russian-owned Nord Stream 1 pipeline in Swedish and Danish waters, shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 project was discovered.

There are two leaks on Nord Stream 1 - one in the Swedish economic zone and one in the Danish economic zone. A Swedish Maritime Administration SMA spokeswoman told Reuters that they are very close to each other.

The leaks were northeast of the Danish island Bornholm, the spokesperson said. It was not immediately clear what caused the leaks.

A SMA spokeswoman said that they were keeping extra watch to make sure no ship comes too close to the site.

The country's readiness for the power and gas sector was raised on Tuesday after the leaks occurred, according to Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen.

On Monday, Danish authorities asked ships to steer clear of a five nautical mile radius southeast of Bornholm after a gas leak from the defunct Nord Stream 2 pipeline drained into the Baltic Sea.

The operator of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which ran at reduced capacity from mid-June before shutting down completely in August, also revealed a pressure drop on both lines of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.

The Baltic Pipe, a new subsea pipeline that brings Norwegian gas to Poland with an annual capacity of 10 billion cubic meters per day, is due to be inaugurated later on Tuesday.

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