After reductions, Gazprom now completely suspends gas supply to Europe, cites maintenance

In the wake of the brutal Moscow-Kyiv war, Russia has fully stopped supplying gas to Europe through a significant pipeline due to the necessity for maintenance. The Russian state-controlled energy behemoth, Gazprom noted in a statement that the delivery of Russian gas through the Nord Stream gas pipeline has been fully halted as repairs are beginning Wednesday (August 31) at the single remaining gas pumping unit at the Portovaya compressor station. 

According to an Associated Press report, Gazprom has stated earlier in the month that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would no longer be carrying gas due to a three-day maintenance break at a compressor station. The maintenance break would last until Saturday (September 3). According to the gas industry company, the only turbine, which is situated at the compressor station in Portovaya, needs servicing.  

As per the statement, Gazprom asserted, “Supply via Nord Stream has been completely stopped, today scheduled preventive work is starting at the gas pumping unit".  

On Wednesday, August 31, at 4:00 AM (Moscow time) the delivery of Russian gas through the Nord Stream pipeline at Germany's Greifswald, the receiving point, totally stopped, Tass reported. The reduction in gas pumping to zero is also confirmed by data from Nord Stream AG, the project's operator. 

Russia has already significantly decreased gas shipments via the Nord Stream

It is pertinent to mention that Russia has already significantly decreased gas shipments via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline which extends from the Russian coast near St. Petersburg to northeastern Germany, under the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile, the pipeline has recently been functioning at only 20% capacity.  

Apart from this, in the month of July, the pipeline was again shut down for 10 days due to maintenance, as per Russia. Furthermore, European politicians worry that Russia may prolong the disruption in an effort to raise gas prices further, which have already increased by 400%, BB reported. 

Klaus Mueller, the head of Germany's Federal Network Agency, claimed that the repair work is technically incomprehensible and is intended to penalise Germany for supporting Ukraine during the Russian invasion. Germany also asserted that these reductions are a political ploy to raise prices and create uncertainty amid the conflict in Ukraine. 

Further, the French Minister of Transition for Energy, Agnes Pannier-Runacher on Tuesday charged Russia with "using gas as a weapon of war." She made these comments after Gazprom announced it would stop supplying gas to the French energy firm Engie. 

However, the spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied the allegations and argued that the outages are the result of Western sanctions harming Russian infrastructure.  

(Image: AP)