Nord Stream 1: Gas delivery resumed

Gas is flowing again after ten days: Russia has resumed supplies to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. However, there is conflicting information about the size of the delivery quantity.

After the maintenance of Nord Stream 1, the gas supply through the German-Russian pipeline started again in the morning. This is shown by current delivery data. A spokesman for the operator also confirmed the resumption to the dpa news agency.

It will take some time before the full transport capacity is reached, the spokesman said. Most recently, about as much gas was announced as before the maintenance, i.e. around 67 million cubic meters per day. That corresponds to about 40 percent utilization of the maximum capacity. However, with a certain amount of advance notice, the notified quantities can also change in the course of a day.

Delivery quantity still unclear

It is still unclear how much gas is actually to be transported to Russia. The head of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, wrote on Twitter that bookings were only around 30 percent of capacity – changes in bookings within one day would be very unusual.

Two people familiar with the plans for Russian gas exports had also told the Reuters news agency before deliveries resumed that Russia wanted to resume deliveries via Nord Stream 1 – albeit on a reduced scale.

Ten days out of service

Nord Stream 1 has been out of service for 10 days since July 11 for an annual maintenance. Previously, the utilization was only 40 percent of the possible capacity.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned against a further reduction in Russian gas supplies through the Baltic Sea pipeline. If Russia does not get back the turbine repaired in Canada, the daily throughput capacity threatens to fall significantly at the end of July, Putin said on the sidelines of a meeting in Tehran, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

The delivery volume in the coming months is likely to have a major impact on the German economy, for example, but also on private customers, as it is likely to affect gas prices. It should also be decisive for how far Germany can fill up its gas storage facilities before the cold season and whether there will be a shortage.