Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Wednesday that the delivery of a turbine needed to keep gas flowing to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline was “impossible” due to sanctions against Moscow.
“Sanctions regimes in Canada, in the European Union and in Great Britain, as well as the inconsistencies in the current situation regarding the contractual obligations of (turbine manufacturer) Siemens, make the delivery impossible,” Gazprom said in a statement.
The statement risks further heightening concern in European countries that suspect Moscow is looking for an excuse to delay the turbine’s return to Russia and further cut its gas supplies.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz accused Russia of blocking delivery of the key turbine to curb gas supplies to Europe as he raised the possibility of keeping nuclear power plants running.
The continent’s largest economy has been scrambling for energy sources to fill a gap left by cuts in gas supplies from Moscow.
The turbine’s late return from Canada, where the unit was being serviced, led to an initial reduction in gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline in June, according to Gazprom.
Deliveries via the power line were further reduced to around 20 percent of capacity in late July after Gazprom halted operations of one of the last two operational turbines due to the “engine’s technical condition”.
#Gazprom #gas #turbine #delivery #Russia #impossible #due #sanctions
