On Friday, July 15, the European Union Member States confirm their support for the proposal of important European energy infrastructure projects worth €263 million by the European Commission. In the gas sector, the European grants will cover the construction of the Balticconnector pipeline (EU support €187.5 million). It is the first gas pipeline linking Estonia to Finland.

According to a press release by the Commission, Finland will no longer depend on a single gas supplier once the project is completed. Thus, it will strengthen security of supply in the Eastern Baltic Sea region.

This new pipeline project has remained a common interest among the key European projects since 2013. There will be three sections in the project, which are an Estonian on-shore section stretching 47km, an offshore section stretching 81km and an on-shore section in Finland stretching 22km.

Miguel Arias Cañete, the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy said, "Well-connected energy infrastructure is essential to achieving the Energy Union. This EU support will help fill existing gaps in energy infrastructure, putting us on the path to a truly connected European energy market. This is necessary to strengthen the security of energy supply and (to promote) a more efficient use of the energy resources and integration of renewables into the grid."

7.2 million cubic meters of daily capacity is planned for the pipeline, which is expected to start operating in 2019.