Last pipe ready to complete much-debated Nord Stream 2 gas project

The last pipe for the controversial Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline has been welded and is ready to be lowered to the seabed in German waters, the company in charge of the project said on Monday.
It marks another step towards making the pipeline operational.
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom is expected to start delivering gas to Germany through the new pipeline in October.
The construction was due to finish in 2019, but was delayed by opposition from the United States, which imposed sanctions against some entities linked to the pipeline construction.
The US government has consistently criticized the project as making Europe too dependent on Russia for its energy supply, leading to particular tensions with Germany.
However, in July Washington and Berlin announced a deal in which they vowed to take measures should Russia attempt to use energy as a weapon or commit further aggressive acts against Ukraine.
The pipeline is to deliver 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany.
According to the operating company, this will be enough to supply 26 million households.
The construction costs of the 1,230-kilometre pipeline are estimated at more than 10 billion euros (11.9 billion dollars).
Half of the pipeline was financed by the Russian energy giant Gazprom and half by the five European companies OMV, Wintershall Dea, Engie, Uniper and Shell.