German energy firm sues Gazprom for €45 million over gas transit fees

German energy company Uniper has filed a claim against Russian gas giant Gazprom seeking fees for gas transit via the OPAL pipeline, a branch of Nord Stream.

The €45 million lawsuit concerns the gas transport contract for OPAL dated June 1, 2012, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Lubmin-Brandov Gastransport GmbH, a subsidiary of Uniper Global Commodities SE holding a 20% stake in OPAL, initiated arbitration proceedings at the International Court of Arbitration under the International Chamber of Commerce in Geneva, according to Russian court documents.

The Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region ruled in favour of Gazprom Export, prohibiting Lubmin-Brandov Gastransport from continuing the arbitration. The court determined that any violation of the ban would result in a mirrored payment of €45 million to Gazprom Export.

Earlier, similar arbitration disputes over Nord Stream transit fees involved Dutch Gasunie Transport Services B.V., Belgian BBL Company, and Czech Net4Gas. These companies are also barred from pursuing arbitration against Gazprom Export under the threat of equivalent financial penalties.

By Jeyhun Aghazada