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Balticconnector gas pipeline back in operation after damage

A Baltic Sea gas pipeline that was torn apart last year in an occurrence still under cops examination has resumed business operation as planned after months of repair work, operator Gasgrid Finland said on Monday.

The Balticconnector subsea gas link between Estonia and Finland was seriously damaged in October together with 3 telecoms cables, injuring energy security and raising alarm bells in the broader region.

I can currently confirm that Balticconnector is running usually, Gasgrid executive Janne Gronlund told .

Some 60 gigawatt hours of gas would flow from Finland to Estonia on Monday, he added.

Finnish cops have named the Hong Kong-flagged NewNew Polar Bear container ship as the prime suspect in causing the damage, saying last year it was prematurely to inform if this was an mishap or an intentional act.

A big anchor, thought to come from the Chinese vessel, was found near the pipeline, and the detectives said the pipeline and the telecoms cables were most likely broken as the anchor was dragged across the sea bed.

Finland has stated it held constructive talks with China over the incident which Chinese authorities had promised complete cooperation in the pipeline probe.

There is progress in the examination and we have worked together with Chinese authorities in resolving the case, Finland's National Bureau of Examination informed by e-mail.

The Chinese vessels remains the focus of the probe, according to authorities.

Container vessel NewNew Polar Bear and its anchor are thought about to be connected to the pipeline damage, the NBI said, adding it would likely take months before last conclusions might be announced in the investigation.

China's embassy in Helsinki did not right away react to a. request for comment.

The damage to the Balticconnector occurred one year after. the explosions in 2022 that destroyed the larger Nord Stream. pipelines, which carried Russian gas to Germany. No suspects. have actually been named in those blasts.

Balticconnector is collectively operated by Estonian electrical power. and gas system operator Elering and Finnish gas transmission. system operator Gasgrid, which each own half of the pipeline.

The pipeline has a larger northbound bandwidth. following the repair work thanks to an improvement of the. Latvia-Lithuania gas affiliation, which allows for greater. volumes to be transported around the region, Finland has said.