Electric cable near Nord Stream blasts to be checked in Sweden

STOCKHOLM - Tests will be carried out on an electric cable between Sweden and Poland to see if it has been damaged by one of the Nord Stream pipelines explosions, Swedish grid operator Svenska Kraftnat said on Thursday.

The cable, situated approximately 500 meters from one of the explosions, is not currently operational, according to a Swedish Television report.

"We do not know how serious the underwater detonation was. To ensure that nothing has happened (to the cable), we will conduct tests at the beginning of next week." Per Kvarnefalk, senior vice president of Svenska Kraftnat's projects division, was quoted as saying.

The cable has been operational since the 1990s, and is important for importing and exporting electricity between Sweden and countries south of the Baltic Sea.

"We could manage without the cable for a while, but it would have an impact should it be inoperable for a longer period," Kvarnefalk said.

The Swedish Security Service is now investigating the two leaks that happened in Sweden's exclusive economic zone of the Baltic Sea.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said "the detonations must be seen in the light of the security policy situation." However, she added that the Swedish Government has so far refrained from speculation.