Canada plans to return a repaired Nord Stream 1 gas turbine to the pipeline operator after July 14, according to unnamed sources close to the matter cited by Russian business daily Kommersant.
The Siemens Energy equipment was transported to the country for scheduled maintenance, and is reportedly still undergoing tests in Montreal.
Last month, the Gazprom-affiliated Nord Stream pipeline operator was forced to reduce gas flow through the pipeline to 40% of capacity. The step was taken due to reported operational risks after the equipment, built in Canada by the German firm, was sent to Montreal for repairs. But it was blocked from being returned on time because of Canada’s anti-Russia sanctions.
Last week, Moscow said gas supplies to Europe would be increased if the turbine was returned.
On Saturday, Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson said Ottawa had decided to sidestep its own restrictions by returning the crucial equipment to Russia via Germany. The step followed a request from Berlin for the Canadian authorities to send the pipeline components back, as energy shortages in Europe keep mounting.
Meanwhile, Kiev was reportedly seeking to block the return of the gas turbine to Russia, claiming that such a precedent would erode sanctions imposed on the nation over its military operation in Ukraine.
On Monday, Gazprom closed both routes of the Nord Stream pipeline for 10 days for scheduled maintenance, having slashed all gas flows via the line that runs from Russia directly to Germany. The German government wants the turbine to be sent back to Russia as quickly as possible to prevent Moscow from using it as a pretext to close the pipeline after the scheduled maintenance is completed on July 21.
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