According to the German government, the delivery of a gas turbine for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline is intended to give Russia a “pretext” for stopping gas deliveries. A spokeswoman for Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) made this clear on Monday in Berlin.
She said that because safety issues were involved, she could not provide any information as to when the turbine was where. She also referred to statements by Siemens Energy that everything was being done to ensure that the turbine was transported and used as quickly as possible.
According to everything the ministry knows and what experts have said, the turbine has so far been used as an excuse, the spokeswoman said. “It is a replacement turbine. Nevertheless, we are doing everything we can to take this pretext, ”said the spokeswoman. “According to our information, this turbine is a spare turbine that was intended for use in September.”
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. Commissioning would take another three to four days. Neither Gazprom nor the turbine manufacturer Siemens Energy were prepared to comment.
According to the newspaper report, the Russian energy company Gazprom has not confirmed that it will increase gas supplies through Nord Stream 1 again after the turbine has been reinstalled. As of June 16, the company had cut supplies through the line to 40 percent of their capacity, citing the missing turbine as the reason.
No gas is currently flowing through Nord Stream 1 due to maintenance work. The company is now waiting for a written guarantee from Siemens, the turbine manufacturer, that “remaining machines will be safely transported and repaired”.
The turbine was originally planned to be delivered by water. The delivery by plane to Germany should significantly speed up the crossing, according to the newspaper report. It will then be transported to Russia by ferry and overland via Helsinki. The destination is in the Leningrad Region near the border town of Torfyanovka on the Finnish border.
Gazprom said last Wednesday that the company could not guarantee that the pipeline would be operational again. According to the statement, Gazprom did not have the documents that would allow Siemens Energy to cross the turbine from Canada to Russia.
