The construction work for Germany’s first LNG terminal and for the onshore and seaward port infrastructure can begin, as the State Trade Supervisory Authority Oldenburg has given its approval for an early start.
The official start of construction of the FSRU-based LNG terminal is July 4, 2022. Up to 7.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year are to be handled via this terminal as quickly as possible. This is about 8.5% of Germany’s current gas demand per year. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and Uniper are aiming for commissioning in winter 2022/2023.
Uniper had submitted the application for the required permit and for admission of an early start under the German Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) to the Oldenburg State Trade Inspectorate at the beginning of June.
The permit for an early start construction works in accordance with §8a BImSchG relates to all parts of the land- and seaward infrastructure as well as an approximately 30 km long high-pressure gas pipeline between the FSRU and the transfer point into the natural gas pipeline network of Open Grid Europe (OGE).
The BImSchG application, the essential parts of which have already been submitted to the approval authority, is to be completed by the beginning of September 2022.
We are very pleased that things are now visibly getting underway. We need a replacement for Russian gas as quickly as possible, and we in the north are prepared to take responsibility for this
said Lower Saxony’s Minister for the Environment, Energy, Building and Climate Protection Olaf Lies.
Moreover, Klaus-Dieter Maubach, CEO Uniper, added that “the rapid approval for the early start of construction shows the importance of the LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven for the country’s security of supply.”
