Russiaʼs Gazprom will shut down another gas turbine engine at the Nord Stream pipeline compressor station. As a result, gas pumping to the EU will be reduced to 40% of the pipeline capacity.
The company wrote about this on its Telegram channel.
"Due to the expiration of the overhaul period of interim maintenance before the overhaul (in accordance with the order of Rostechnadzor and taking into account the technical condition of the engine), Gazprom will suspend the operation of another Siemens gas turbine engine at the Portova Compressor station," the statement said.
At the same time, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck believes that reducing Russiaʼs gas supply to the European Union is a political decision. According to him, Germany understands the need to service the pipeline, but "the first set of maintenance work will take place no earlier than autumn." In addition, these works do not require a supply reduction of up to 40% of capacity.
Against the background of this news, the price of gas in Europe rose sharply by 10% and exceeded $ 1,200 per thousand cubic meters.
The 1,224-kilometer Nord Stream pipeline, with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year, runs along the bottom of the Baltic Sea from Russiaʼs Vyborg to Germanyʼs Greifswald. It was commissioned in November 2011.