Sanctions in Russia over the invasion of Ukraine have left a whirlwind needed to help run the Nord Stream pipeline, which was blocked in Canada. Shortly afterwards, Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom PJSC reduced supplies through the pipeline, the largest gas connection to the European Union, to just 40 percent of capacity. This has fueled a rise in prices in Europe and prompted German and Italian leaders to question whether Gazprom’s move was politically motivated rather than technical, he claims. Governments across Europe have been on high alert amid a growing likelihood of deltas, while Germany, the Netherlands and Austria have revived coal-fired power plants to help avoid possible shortages in winter, when demand is highest. “We want to respect the sanctions because the sanctions were imposed for a reason,” said Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson in an interview. “In saying this, the intention of the sanctions was never to cause significant pain to Germany, which is one of our closest friends and allies. So we are very stuck with this issue. “ The turbines were built in Canada and must be shipped regularly for maintenance by the German Siemens Energy AG. One of them was undergoing major repairs in Montreal, but now it can not be returned as Canadian sanctions imposed this month ban the export of vital technical services to Russia’s fossil fuel industry. Other turbines are still in Russia, but not all are working, according to Gazprom. The energy giant has cited orders from the state security regulator to stop using equipment due to its regular maintenance. “We are talking to Germany, trying to find a way through which we can really allow gas to flow,” Wilkinson said. “There may be different options we can consider.” Russia is ready to supply the European Union, but the turbines must be returned after maintenance, the Kremlin said this week. The entry point of the Nord Stream, the Portovaya compressor station in Russia, needs six large turbines to pump gas to the Baltic Sea pipeline at full capacity. But only two of them are working at the moment, according to someone who knows the situation. In addition, Nord Stream is scheduled to close for 10 days next month to carry out annual operations.
