Recently, there have apparently been attacks on critical infrastructure. Lubmin has some of these. What is the impact of the incidents?
Lubmin (dpa/mv) – After alleged attacks on the critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and in Germany, the initiators of a planned liquefied natural gas terminal in Lubmin are examining possible effects. “Of course, we followed these developments closely,” said Deutsche Regas on request. They are examining potential effects on the project and have been in close contact with authorities on the subject of safety for weeks. Details cannot be given.
Even before the alleged acts of sabotage on the Baltic Sea pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 and on the German railway infrastructure, the industrial port in Lubmin said it had tightened security measures. The precautions have been gradually increased since February, said Lubmin Mayor Axel Vogt (independent), who also heads the responsible special-purpose association. “Further measures are being prepared.” This applies to the southern port area, for example. The fence of the company premises should be extended there and streets closed to the public and guarded. They also coordinate with Deutsche Regas.
The federal and state governments are planning to expand the energy infrastructure in the north-east, for example in the areas of liquefied natural gas (LNG), hydrogen or wind power. According to its own statements, the Schwerin Ministry of Economics will not make any additional requirements in the approval process after the incidents of the past. “These are questions of averting danger, which would have to be brought into the process by the relevant federal and/or state police authorities.” There is no competence of the approval authorities themselves for this.
A joint response from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior states that orders to protect against unlawful interference by third parties in corresponding systems are not provided for in the approval process. Instead, reference is made to police security zones for offshore installations.
Lubmin in Western Pomerania already has several critical infrastructure facilities: This is where the two gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2, which run from Russia through the Baltic Sea, end. Both were damaged by suspected attacks in the Baltic Sea. There is also a substation on site, to which offshore wind farms are connected by submarine cables. Next door is an interim storage facility for radioactive waste and a nuclear power plant that is currently being dismantled.
The company responsible for the nuclear power plant and interim storage facility, EWN, announced that, as a precautionary measure, various risk situations had of course been dealt with. Gascade, the operator of the extensive gas pipeline infrastructure in the immediate vicinity of the port, wrote that the facilities were monitored by a security service 24 hours a day, all year round. “We are in close contact with the police, who will come immediately if necessary, check and intervene.”
According to the Schwerin Ministry of the Interior, there are no indications of any additional threat to critical infrastructure in MV. The police take care of the protection according to the situation assessment. In addition, the federal government agreed in the coalition agreement on better protection of critical infrastructure in Germany.
