Russian gas deliveries through the Nord Stream pipeline, the country’s main export route to Europe, will be temporarily halted until July 21 for scheduled annual maintenance on Monday morning, TASS reports.
Russian natural gas will therefore continue to flow to Western and Central Europe through the only transit point in Ukraine.
The maintenance and suspension of gas deliveries have been prearranged in advance with Russia’s partners involved in gas transit.
Last year, when the pipeline closed for maintenance from July 13 to July 23, gas deliveries over the pipilne amounted to 59.2 billion cubic meters, matching the 2020 historical record. However, Russia’s Western partners complicated things this year. Gazprom was forced to reduce natural gas supplies over the Nord Stream pipeline lower than planned due to the delayed return of gas compressor units from repair by Siemens and malfunctions in technical engines, the Russian gas holding said on June 14.
As a result, gas throughput via the pipeline amounted to only 40% of its capacity threatening plans in both Germany and the entire EU to fill their gas storage facilities. Europe’s gas storage is currently 60% full with plans to fill 80% of the storage tanks by next winter, while gas flows are likely to fall significantly in the time of maintenance.
And though on Saturday Canada decided to return to Germany the repaired Siemens turbine, it did not specify when exactly it would be delivered. And the authorities in Germany still fear Russia the Nord Stream pipeline would not resume operations after the maintenance.
