The name of the gas pipeline 'Power of Siberia-2' was changed to 'Power of Baikal' after its route within Russia was modified

The "Power of Siberia-2" gas pipeline to China, which has not yet been built, is changing its name. Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsevilev announced that President Vladimir Putin changed the name from “Power of Siberia” to “Power of Baikal.”

The Power of Siberia 2 line was formerly known as the Altai Gas Pipeline. The name change resulted from changing the route of the line. Initially, it was planned to build the pipeline directly from the Altai Republic to China, without passing through a transit country. However, this had a drawback: Russian gas reached China through the same region as Central Asian gas, where competition is intense. Therefore, a decision was made to change the entry point of gas into the Chinese market to a more feasible location, via Mongolia, and the project was renamed “Power of Siberia-2”.

But changing the entry point for gas into the Chinese market this time is not up for discussion, as the route via Mongolia remains in place. However, modifications to the pipeline's route will be made within Russian territory near Lake Baikal, which necessitated its new name.

President Putin had previously set for Gazprom the following goal: integrating the western and eastern regions of the country into a single gas transportation system.

It is planned that the "Siberian Power-2" pipeline will extend eastward, from the Tomsk region, passing through the cities of Krasnoyarsk, Sayansk, Angarsk, and Irkutsk, before connecting to the "Siberian Power-1" pipeline, which departs from the Kovikta field in the Irkutsk region. The Russian part of the "Siberian Force-2", or "Baikal Force", will contribute to supplying gas to the regions south of Lake Baikal.