Sabotage of Terna line in Friuli, repercussions on Tal pipeline. Dda and Ros investigations
Italian authorities investigate the causes of the Tal pipeline failure, while top management denies malicious acts and explains the technical slowdown at the end of March. Terna reports damage to power line
Key points
A sabotage at a tralice of Terna's power line is the subject of an investigation involving Italian intelligence, German intelligence, the Ros of the Carabinieri and the Dda of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Not so much because of the seriousness of the damage, which was repaired in a few days, but because it caused a slowdown in the activity of a sensitive target: Tal-Siot, the Transalpine Pipeline, which supplies crude oil from Trieste to Austria, Bavaria (Germany) and the Czech Republic.
A facility that was the target of a Black September attack as early as 1972, and which only because of a few mistakes made by the terrorists caused little damage. In times of wars, Tal is a decidedly 'Attended' facility.
Tankers at Trieste roadstead
The story began days ago when an unusual number of oil tankers were at anchor in the Gulf of Trieste waiting to unload crude oil. Circumstance,' explained Alessandro Gorla, president of Siot and g.m. of Tal, 'linked to "several concomitant factors": having "the maximum amount of crude oil available to guarantee supply". In addition, in March there was 'a technical slowdown of the line due to multiple occurrences, both our own and those of third parties. The situation will return to normal in April, at the end of periodic maintenance work'.
The news in the German media
The German media Business insider and Welt am Sonntag claimed that the slowdown was caused by sabotage to the electricity supply of a pumping station in Carnia with probable cutting of a cable near a light pole. The hypothesis was denied by Tal's top management, who spoke of a normal service disruption. In fact, Tal did not suffer any attacks even if the slowdown had consequences - the German media write - on the Miro refinery, among the main ones in Germany, and on the Bayernoil, which had to resort to reserves for a few days.
Tal explained in a note that on 25 March, Terna asked it 'to disconnect the Paluzza pumping plant from the power line, to allow a pylon repair over 12 km from the nearest Tal plant. Any information regarding external actions by third parties against any part of the Tal plant is untrue'.
