Nord Stream: The Russians threw the ball back

Gazprom said on Wednesday that it is currently impossible to deliver the required engine for the pipeline to Russia due to sanctions imposed by Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom, as well as Siemens’ breach of its contractual obligations. A Kremlin spokesman was asked if this meant that the Russian gas company was not ready to take delivery of the equipment.

No, Gazprom really wants to get this turbine. But it was not Gazprom that imposed the sanctions

Peskov answered.

“In this case, it is important that Gazprom obtain legal documents that these turbines have not been punished. Words are absolutely not enough in this case,” he added.

According to the spokesperson, the position of the European Union and the United Kingdom, for example, may differ. He pointed out that the turbines are serviced by a British company affiliated with the German company Siemens under British law and are subject to British judicial authority.

“Therefore, of course, in this case, due to the sanctions imposed on Gazprom and our country, Gazprom has to insure itself and its property. Because this turbine belongs to Gazprom,” Peskov said.

On Thursday, Gazprom repeatedly claimed on its Telegram channel that Sanctions against Russia prevent the return of gas turbines to the Portovaya compressor station. The company explained, in a statement, that due to Canadian sanctions and without Gazprom’s approval, the power plant was sent to Germany instead of Russia after repairs in Canada, which do not meet the terms of the contract. Canadian authorities have issued documents to Siemens Energy Canada Limited – which is not a contracting party – to export the turbines, which have nothing to do with the current maintenance contract.

“If the engine is transferred to Russia, there is a risk that the Canadian authorities will consider this a violation or circumvention of the terms of the permit issued. This, in turn, may lead to the revocation of the permit and to the fact that the remaining engines of the Portovaya compressor station will not be able to be repaired in Canada,” the statement said in a statement. “.

Gazprom indicated that the contracting party is Industrial Turbines (UK) Limited, which is subject to UK legal requirements, including sanctions restrictions.

“Since the European Union and the United Kingdom have not given official information about the application of sanctions, it is not clear whether the repair and delivery of gas turbine engines to the Portofaga compressor station is not subject to export restrictions,” he said in the statement. document.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which carries gas from Russia to Europe, has been operating at only about 20 percent of its maximum capacity since July 27 due to the shutdown of two gas turbines. One of the engines, made in Canada by Siemens Energy, was sent to Montreal for repair. As a result of the sanctions imposed by Ottawa on Moscow due to aggression in Ukraine, the manufacturer initially refused to return the repaired equipment to Germany, but after repeated requests from Berlin, decided to return it.

Front page photo: A worker at German energy company Siemens Energy with overhauled turbines from Nord Stream 1, the pipeline that takes natural gas from Russia to Germany in Canada, at the Siemens plant in Mülheim on August 3, 2022. According to Schulz, there is no obstacle In front of the delivery of turbines to Russia, citing the absence of that in which Russia’s Gazprom reduced the amount of natural gas delivered to Germany via Nord Stream 1 by a fifth. Source: MTI / EPA POOL / Sascha Steinbach