BERLIN — Russia’s state-owned fuel monopoly, Gazprom, stated on Monday that it could additional scale back the quantity of pure fuel it sends to Germany by way of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, lower than per week after it resumed restricted flows after an annual upkeep shutdown.
Flows had already been reduce to 40 % of capability, however Gazprom said that it could crimp them to twenty % beginning Wednesday, citing issues with one of many highly effective generators which can be manufactured by the German firm Siemens Power. The generators construct strain throughout the pipeline to ship the fuel lengthy distances.
In mid-June Russia began chopping the quantity of fuel shipped by way of the 760-mile undersea pipeline, blaming the discount on a lacking turbine that had been shipped to Canada for repairs.
On Monday, Gazprom said on its social media accounts that it was “shutting down yet another fuel turbine engine produced by Siemens.”
Germany’s economic system ministry has all alongside rejected Gazprom’s argument {that a} broken turbine was in charge for restrictions in fuel flows, saying as an alternative that the cutbacks have been one other means for Russia to punish Europe for opposing the warfare in Ukraine.
The Berlin authorities pushed again in opposition to Gazprom’s newest projected minimize.
“Based mostly on our info there is no such thing as a technical motive for a discount in deliveries,” the German economic system ministry stated in an announcement that adopted Gazprom’s announcement.
Observers stated the transfer smacked of President Vladimir V. Putin’s intention to make use of Russia’s vitality exports as a cudgel to punish and divide European leaders by loosening or tightening the faucets because it fits him and his warfare goals in Ukraine.
“Gazprom’s announcement mustn’t shock,” stated Simone Tagliapietra, a senior fellow at Bruegel, a suppose tank primarily based in Brussels. “Russia is enjoying a strategic sport right here. Fluctuating already low flows is healthier than a full cutoff because it manipulates the market and optimizes geopolitical affect.”
European Union vitality ministers are assembly in Brussels on Tuesday to debate a proposal to get residents and companies of the 27-member bloc to avoid wasting vitality. However divisions have emerged as international locations that don’t rely closely on Russian fuel, resembling Greece and Spain, have chafed on the concept of needing to chop consumption to assist Germany, their rich northern companion.
In his nightly handle on Monday, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine referred to as the unfolding disaster an “overt fuel warfare” in opposition to a “united” Europe, one which Moscow intentionally timed. “These are simply totally different types of terror,” he stated.
Earlier than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Germany relied on Russia to supply 55 % of its total pure fuel wants. It has minimize that share to 30 % over the previous 4 months, however is scrambling to avoid wasting sufficient of the gas to make sure that it’ll have adequate shops to get by way of the winter.
Hours earlier than Gazprom introduced the recent cuts, the top of Germany’s community regulator, Klaus Müller, stated the nation’s storage services had reached 65.9 % capability and have been subsequently “lastly again on observe.” The objective is for storage to be 75 % full by the start of September.
Gazprom’s announcement ought to have made it clear to all European Union members how essential it’s that they transfer rapidly and decisively to start out saving fuel, Mr. Tagliapietra stated. “Motion on this can’t be delayed anymore.”
