Delivery of Russian gas via Nord Stream 1 resumed after maintenance | Abroad

Doubts arose about the resumption of deliveries. There were concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin would turn off the gas in response to European sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to figures published last night on the operator’s website, deliveries are expected to resume at the same level as before maintenance started last week. However, the German grid operator noted that the supply figures had already been revised downwards.

Today, Nord Stream would supply just under 30 million kilowatt hours of gas per hour, or about 700 gigawatt hours per day. The announced volume amounts to about 40 percent of the pipeline’s capacity and is about the same as what Russia sent for Nord Stream maintenance.

The figures are subject to change, they are so-called nominations. These are important for network operators, but they can still be changed until shortly before the actual delivery.

According to the head of the German network operator Bundesnetzagentur, Klaus Müller, such renominations already happened on Wednesday evening. Russian state gas company Gazprom is said to have said it would deliver about 530 gigawatt hours, or about 30 percent of capacity, on Thursday, he said on Twitter. Earlier on Wednesday, the nominations were still 800 gigawatt hours, according to Müller.

There has been plenty of speculation in recent days about the resumption of gas deliveries via Nord Stream 1. Concerns arose that Russian President Vladimir Putin would turn off the gas in response to European sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Even before the maintenance, Gazprom reduced the gas supply via the Nord Stream connection by 60 percent, resulting in a new price increase for natural gas in Europe. That was because a gas turbine, which provides the flow of the gas, was in Canada for maintenance and was not allowed to return due to sanctions against Russia. At least, that was the reading of Gazprom, which has now also declared force majeure. With this, the state gas company probably wants to avoid having to pay compensation.

Germany, which is the most dependent on Russian gas in Europe, has already accused Russia of playing political games, but lobbied Canada to release the gas turbine. That did not go down well with Ukraine and does not have to be a guarantee that the gas supply will remain at the right level. Germany says it expects Russia to resume gas supplies and points to Gazprom’s contractual obligations. At the same time, the European Commission has announced that it is taking the cessation of Russian gas supplies seriously.

Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated earlier this week that gas will start flowing again, provided conditions are met. Without, for example, the overhauled turbine, according to him, no more than 20 percent of the normal amount of gas can pass through the pipeline. Gazprom said on Wednesday it did not have the correct documents to reinstall the turbine.

If Russia turns off the gas tap, it will cost the EU on average between 0.9 and 1.5 percent economic growth, the European Commission estimates. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculated this week that countries such as Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Italy would be hit much harder than average. If the EU countries work together and share gas supplies, the consequences can be limited, according to the IMF.