The state company Gazprom announced the shutdown of another turbine at the Portovaya compressor station, which is responsible for the pressure in Nord Stream. The shutdown of the turbine will bring down the volume of deliveries through the pipeline to a minimum – 33 million cubic meters of gas per day with a base capacity of 170 million cubic meters. This is stated in the message of the state company:
“In connection with the end of the time between overhauls before overhaul (in accordance with the order of Rostekhnadzor and taking into account the technical condition of the engine), Gazprom stops the operation of another Siemens gas turbine engine at the Portovaya compressor station.”
The turbine will be shut down at 7 am on July 27 Moscow time. Press Secretary and Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Administration Dmitry Peskov on Monday actually announced new supply difficulties, while noting that Russia does not seek to collapse gas supplies to Europe.
“Of course, the turbine will be installed. There, we know we still have problems with other units, which Siemens is also well aware of. But, of course, the turbine will be installed after the completion of all the formalities of the technological process. And the pumping will go to the extent that is technologically possible, ”the officialsaid .
Also on Monday, July 25, it became known that Siemens handed over all the necessary documentation and began the process of transporting the turbine to Helsinki, from where it will be delivered to the compressor station by land. Since June, Russian and European authorities have been arguing in absentia about reducing gas supplies via Nord Stream. The European side insists that Moscow is using gas supplies as leverage on Europe. Russia assures that it is acting in accordance with contractual obligations, and all the reasons for the reduction in supplies are related to anti-Russian sanctions.
Prior to the gas dispute, Nord Stream remained a key route for gas supplies to Europe. The basic capacity of the pipeline is 170 million cubic meters per day, in June Gazprom reduced the capacity to 40%, or about 60 million cubic meters per day. The pipeline will now operate at approximately 22% of its declared capacity. The European stock exchange immediately reacted to the company's message, where the price of gas jumped by around 10%. The shortage of supplies creates serious risks for the European Union in the successful passage of the heating season. The European Commission has already stated earlier that it does not trust Russia's actions and is preparing a plan in case of a complete halt in Russian gas supplies, but there is no unity in the EU on this plan yet. Most countries are unwilling to cut gas consumption by 15%, as stated in the document.
