Polish, US gas cooperation is of huge importance - US gov't adviser

2019-05-08 10:54 update: 2019-05-12, 19:11
Fot. PAP/EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
Fot. PAP/EPA/ERIK S. LESSER
Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Kevin Hassett has told PAP the Polish-US partnership regarding supply of liquid gas is very important economically and geopolitically, adding the US is discussing cooperation with Poland on nuclear power.

Hassett noted that Poland has taken important steps in diversifying its energy supplies and also helping Europe to do the same. 

"I think that the cooperation between the United States and Poland for the liquid natural gas and the new facilities (...) coming online in the north (of Poland - PAP) are very, very important both economically and geopolitically. I'm extremely heartened with all the progress we've made making sure that Poland has a diverse energy source and it also is moving more towards the use of natural gas, which is clean energy that is supplied by an ally that's very reliable as opposed to Russia," he said. 

In the Trump advisor's opinion, it is important for all of Europe to have diverse energy sources. 

When asked about sanctions announced by US politicians against companies constructing and financing the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Hassett noted that such a decision did not fall within his remit. 

"I can say that the general economic principle is that if you have the monopoly suppliers then they make you dependent on their product with low prices and then once you're dependent they can extract enormous rents from you by jacking up the prices a lot," Hassett commented. 

Asked about the issue of Polish-US cooperation in the scope of nuclear energy, Hasset noted that the US is studying and discussing it with Poland.  

In Hassett's view, many opportunities remain to further diversify energy supplies in Poland with liquefied natural gas playing a major role. (PAP)
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