Polish watchdog fines Gazprom $7.6 billion over Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

Poland’s anti-monopoly watchdog said on Wednesday it had fined Russia’s Gazprom more than 29 billion zlotys ($7.6 billion) for building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline without its approval.

The UOKiK watchdog also said it had imposed a 234 million zloty fine on five other firms involved in financing $11 billion project set to double Russia’s gas export capacity via the Baltic Sea.

Nord Stream 2 is led by Gazprom, with half of the funding provided by Germany’s Uniper and BASF’s Wintershall unit, Anglo-Dutch company Shell, Austria’s OMV and Engie.

Poland sees Nord Stream 2 as a threat to Europe’s energy security as it will increase reliance on Russian energy.
The United States has also imposed sanctions on companies laying pipes for the project.