News
Jun 23, 2008
WINGAS plans OPAL gas pipeline
The OPAL (Ostsee-Pipeline-Anbindungs-Leitung – Baltic Sea Pipeline Link) is one of the largest energy infrastructure measures seen in Germany, and indeed Europe, in the last few decades. The OPAL’s planned completion date is 2011. From 2011 it will pick up the natural gas transported through the Nord Stream Baltic Sea pipeline in Greifswald and transport it to the German-Czech border near Olbernhau.
The OPAL will link up the Nord Stream Baltic Sea pipeline with existing natural gas pipeline networks, especially in the Czech Republic. WINGAS GmbH & Co. KG has been commissioned with the planning and the construction of the pipeline.
The construction of the OPAL pipeline will mostly take place in 2009 and 2010. With the regional planning procedures in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania and Saxony completed in September 2007, the planning approval processes in both states began in spring this year. The regional planning procedure in Brandenburg is expected to be completed at the end of 2008, and the planning approval process will commence soon after. The first preparatory construction activities will start in due course – not only archaeological surveys, but also the delivery of pipes to central pipe storage areas. The actual construction of the OPAL will begin at the end of 2008 /beginning of 2009 in some sections of the pipeline and at a later date in all three states, Mecklenburg Western Pomerania, Brandenburg and Saxony.
all news
