Lithuania: explosion on the Amber Grid gas pipeline, an investigation is underway
A fire broke out after the explosion of a gas pipeline in Pasvalys, Lithuania, on January 13, 2023. © REUTERS / Gintautas Geguzinskas
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In Lithuania, an explosion occurred on the Amber Grid gas pipeline, which connects the Baltic countries to Poland.
The explosion occurred on Friday January 13 in the early evening.
No injuries, according to the operator.
The situation is under control, according to firefighters.
And an investigation is underway,
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The investigation will have to determine if this explosion is a malicious act or damage.
For the CEO of Amber Grid, all scenarios are possible.
The incident affected one of the two pipeline pipes, the damaged section of which dates back to 1978. According to Lithuanian firefighters, the flames reached up to 50 meters in height and threatened the village of Valakeliai, near the town by Pasvalys.
The village was temporarily evacuated.
Declining dependency
The Amber Grid pipeline delivers gas to northern Lithuania and transports it to neighboring Latvia and Poland.
Heavily dependent on Russia for its gas needs, Lithuania began to free itself from it in 2014, thanks to the construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal installed opposite the port of Klaipeda on the Baltic Sea.
No more Russian gas imports
Interconnections with the Baltic countries and Poland set up last May have enabled Vilnius to gain energy independence.
In June 2022, Lithuania was the first EU member state to completely stop importing Russian gas.
In September 2022, explosions hit the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, linking Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea, built to transport Russian gas to Europe.
According to the Swedish prosecution, these explosions are sabotage.
►Also read
: Launch of a new gas pipeline linking the Baltic countries to the European network
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