Nord Stream pipeline shut down – Gazprom cuts supplies to Austria and Italy
“The Germans are already using 14 percent less gas”
“Everything that we can now save in terms of gas helps us to fill up the storage tanks,” says Dr. Frank Umbach, expert for energy security. Although the Germans have already used up to 14 percent less gas this year, there are still other ways to save.
The long-awaited maintenance work on the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline has begun. It is uncertain whether Russian gas will flow to Germany again after the maintenance. Gazprom also reduced delivery volumes via Ukraine to Austria and Italy on Monday.
AOn Monday morning, the shutdown of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline for maintenance work began. The gas flow has been shut down since 6 a.m., said a spokesman for the operator, Nord Stream AG. It will take a few hours before the actual flow is completely zero.
According to the operating company, the work should last until July 21. In these ten days, no gas will be transported through the pipeline to Germany.
According to the information, among other things, safety systems, power supply, fire and gas protection as well as shut-off and isolation valves are checked and repaired or calibrated if necessary. Software updates are also carried out.
According to the Federal Network Agency, the work is not taking place directly on the line, but at the compressor stations, for example in Lubmin. Under normal circumstances, the work should be completed within the planned period, the authority said. In the past, the duration of the work sometimes deviated slightly from the scheduled time.
The Russian state company Gazprom had already significantly reduced gas deliveries in June, citing technical problems. However, the federal government considers the cut to be politically motivated. Among others, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) has expressed concerns that Russia could no longer turn on the gas tap even after the maintenance has been completed.
France’s finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, agrees that Europe must prepare for a complete halt to Russian gas supplies in retaliation for the sanctions against the Kremlin and support for Ukraine. At an economic conference in Aix-en-Provence on Sunday, he campaigned for preparations for this scenario.
Gazprom reduces delivery volumes to Austria and Italy
Gazprom also further cut delivery volumes to Austria and Italy on Monday. The Austrian energy supplier OMV announced on Monday that Gazprom had informed it that around 70 percent less gas was arriving in Baumgarten near the Slovakian border than ordered. In mid-June, Gazprom had already reduced deliveries to Austria by half.
Shortly before, the Italian energy supplier Eni had announced that less gas was arriving in the country from Russia. The amount fell by around a third compared to the previous days. Gazprom had already reduced its deliveries to Italy, Austria and France in mid-June.
Gas now only flows to Europe via Ukraine. According to the operator of the Ukrainian gas transit network, 41.1 million cubic meters of gas can be transited on Monday. The scope corresponds approximately to that of the past few days. According to the contract, a maximum of 109.6 million cubic meters of gas could be transported.
According to Russian information, Ukraine is currently only allowing one strand of its network to be used for gas transit. This is currently the last remaining gas pipeline to Western and Central Europe.
Since the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine at the end of February, the supply of gas to Europe from Russia has been considered endangered. According to models from the Federal Network Agency, a permanent shutdown could lead to a gas shortage in Germany in winter.
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