Repaired Nord Stream Turbine Intended for Use This Fall, German Ministry Says

   By Giulia Petroni and Ed Frankl 
 

A repaired turbine shipped from Canada to Germany for the Nord Stream pipeline is a replacement part intended for use this fall, a spokesperson for the German economy ministry told Dow Jones Newswires on Monday.

According to a report in Russia's Kommersant newspaper, Canada sent the turbine to Germany by plane on Sunday after repair work on it had been completed.

Nord Stream, which connects Russia's Siberian gas fields with Germany under the Baltic Sea, is currently closed for a 10-day maintenance period that is expected to be completed on Thursday. However, Europe fears Moscow will extend the works, escalating a crisis that has already prompted emergency measures from governments and caused energy bills to soar.

Canada has made a two-year exemption to its sanctions, allowing turbines powering Nord Stream to be serviced in Montreal with the hope that this will be enough to persuade Moscow to restore the flow of natural gas to Europe.

Russian energy giant Gazprom PJSC, the majority owner of the pipeline's operator, said over the weekend that it had asked for documents that would allow the turbine already in Montreal to be returned to Russia, and that the reliable operation of Nord Stream and the supply of natural gas to European customers depended on the fulfillment of the maintenance contract for the turbines.

Before maintenance works began, Russia had already cut deliveries on the pipeline to 40% of its capacity.

Gazprom wasn't immediately available for comment when contacted by Dow Jones Newswires.

Write to Giulia Petroni at [e-mail] and Ed Frankl at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 18, 2022 12:21 ET (16:21 GMT)

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