ROME (Reuters) – An Italian administrative court has postponed to July 5 a decision over a complaint against a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Tuscan port of Piombino, the court said on its website on Wednesday.
Italian gas grid operator Snam is working flat out to have the floating terminal up and running by April to help replace Russian gas supplies with LNG due to arrive from Africa.
Piombino’s administration last year filed a legal challenge against the government-backed project, which Italy sees as key to helping wean the country off Russian gas.
The dispute pits Piombino mayor Francesco Ferrari, who is from the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, against the coalition government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who leads the same party.
Ferrari opposes the terminal out of safety risk concerns for the local population and maritime traffic but the national government and Snam say these fears are not justified.
(Reporting by Marco Carta; writing by Francesca Landini; editing by Alvise Armellini)
