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Nord Stream 1 gas receiving station in Lubmin: waiting for gas
Photo: Jens Büttner / dpa
According to a newspaper report, the turbine, which is important for the operation of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, has been repaired and delivered from Canada to Germany.
She was brought to Germany by plane on Sunday, reports the Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing people familiar with the events.
If there are no problems with logistics or customs, it will take another five to seven days for the turbine to arrive in Russia.
Installation during the official maintenance interval for Nord Stream 1 therefore seems more than questionable.
Since last Monday, no gas has been delivered through the pipeline at all due to maintenance work.
The work is expected to last until July 21.
The Russian energy company Gazprom has been significantly reducing gas deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany since June, citing the lack of a turbine that was being serviced in Canada.
This drove up the already high gas prices.
Several Western politicians have expressed skepticism that Gazprom will supply gas again after the maintenance.
According to a report in the "Bild" newspaper, the federal government assumes that Russia will continue to curb deliveries afterwards.
That is why the government is expecting an emergency in the gas supply in individual federal states.
In view of concerns about an impending energy shortage in Germany and other European countries, Canada wants to help with the return of the turbines that have been serviced there.
However, this in turn causes disputes with the Ukrainian leadership.
Kyiv will not accept Canada's decision to return the turbine to Russia via Germany, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he "emphasized that the Ukrainians will never accept Canada's decision regarding the Nord Stream turbine," Zelenskyy said in a video message.
The handover to Germany violates the sanctions against Russia and encourages further violations.
Because of the sanctions against Russia, Canada initially refused to return the turbine to Russia - but then decided to hand the unit over to Germany instead.
Trudeau said his country had to support Germany and other European allies in the face of impending energy shortages.
Zelenskyy, on the other hand, said that the international position on sanctions must be principled.
"After the terrorist attacks on Vinnytsia, Mykolayiv, Chasiv Yar and others, the pressure must be increased, not decreased," he wrote.
The President was referring to Russian rocket attacks in Ukrainian cities far from the front that have killed dozens.
gas contingency plan
ExpandBackground pane
The gas emergency plan is based on an EU regulation from 2017 that defines measures to secure the gas supply in the event of a crisis.
It provides for three escalation levels: the early warning level, the alert level and the emergency level.
Expand areaEarly warning level
The
early warning
level can be declared when there are concrete, serious and reliable indications of a possible event that is likely to lead to a significant deterioration in the gas supply situation.
It was
activated by the Federal Ministry of Economics on
March 30, 2022 .
The Russian government had previously threatened to stop gas supplies to Europe if the raw material was not paid for in rubles in the future.
Expand Alert Level area
The
alert level indicates
a disruption in the gas supply or an exceptionally high demand for gas that leads to a significant deterioration in the gas supply situation.
However, the market is still able to cope with this disruption or high demand on its own.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has the alarm level on
June 24, 2022
announced after the Russian pipeline monopolist Gazprom had throttled the flow of gas through the particularly important Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 1 by 60 percent.
In concrete terms, the alert level means that energy suppliers and regional network operators can try to shed loads - for example, no longer supply those customers who have agreed so-called switch-off clauses in their contracts.
These customers purchase gas at lower prices, but have agreed not to receive supplies in the event of bottlenecks.
The law also stipulates that energy suppliers can pass on their increased purchasing costs to customers at this stage – despite existing price-fixing clauses.
However, the Federal Network Agency must first have identified a significant reduction in gas imports to Germany.
Expand areaEmergency level
The
emergency level
is not activated yet.
It is proclaimed when market mechanisms are no longer sufficient to guarantee supply and the state has to intervene.
In this case, the Federal Network Agency would decide which companies would still get gas and which would have to be rationed or even shut down.
However, certain areas are specially protected by law and will continue to be supplied with gas until the very end if possible.
This includes private households, but also hospitals, educational institutions and public administration.
The Russian energy company Gazprom said it had asked Siemens Energy to initiate the return of the turbine for the Nord Stream 1 natural gas pipeline.
"On July 15, Gazprom officially approached Siemens with a request to provide documents that, taking into account the current sanctions rules in Canada and the EU, allow the export of the gas turbine of the "Portovaya" compressor station, which is essential for Nord Stream 1, to Russia." , Gazprom announced on its Telegram channel over the weekend.
At the same time, Gazprom is counting on Siemens Energy fulfilling its contract for the maintenance and repair of the gas turbines.
The continued functioning of Nord Stream 1 depends on this, the company added.
mmq/Reuters/dpa