Estonia continues to maintain a Russian gas pipeline; considers its closure

Estonia continues to maintain a Russian gas pipeline that crosses Võru County, allowing Russia to use it to supply the Königsberg region, reports ERR News.The 22-kilometer-long section of the pipeline consists of two pipes, each 70 centimeters in diameter, which run from Russia through the southeastern corner of Estonian territory, continuing through Latvia and Lithuania toward Königsberg. This section is owned by Elering, the Estonian electricity and gas transmission system operator. Under an existing agreement, Russia uses it as an alternative supply route for Königsberg—for instance, in the event that the pipeline running directly through Lithuania or the floating terminal in Königsberg becomes inoperative. Russia requires the gas to operate power plants in the Königsberg region, which has become an energy-isolated enclave following the Baltic states’ disconnection from the Russian electricity grid.In July 2023, half a terawatt-hour of Russian natural gas—an amount equivalent to approximately 15% of Estonia’s annual consumption—was transported through the pipeline. An equal volume of natural gas passed through Estonia again in the autumn of 2024. The newspaper Eesti Ekspress reported that none of the politicians responsible for the sector in recent years had been aware of the agreement regarding the Russian gas pipeline. After reviewing the information, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal stated his intention to halt the pipeline’s operations; he will instruct the Ministry of Energy and its minister, Erkki Keldo, to reach an agreement with Latvia—where the pipeline’s shut-off valve is located—to ensure the termination of natural gas transit. Should an agreement not be reached, Estonia might initiate national-level sanctions to ban natural gas transit.Keldo warned that Russia could exploit the pipeline’s closure in information campaigns against the Baltic states. He added that an agreement with Latvia could be reached once the new government is formed.Currently, natural gas is not flowing through the pipeline, though Russia retains the ability to use it. Estonia banned the import of Russian natural gas back in 2022.