Russia has resumed gas supplies to Europe using its biggest gas pipeline Nord Stream 1 after warnings that gas supplies may become limited or cease entirely, as reported by BBC.
Nord Stream 1 pipeline was restarted after a ten-day maintenance break. Still, the pipeline is functioning at a lower level than before.
On Wednesday, 20 July, the European Commission invited EU member states to reduce gas consumption by 15% in the next seven months if Russia ceased supplying gas to Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised that the state gas corporation Gazprom will fulfil its contractual obligations. Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov denies that Russia is using gas as a tool for political blackmail.
According to information from BBC, in 2021 Russia supplied Europe with 40% of its natural gas.
Last month Gazprom shut down gas supplies using Nord Stream 1, blaming the situation on the fact that sanctions caused an important turbine to end up stuck in Canada, where it was previously sent for maintenance. The turbine is on its way back to Russia, but Putin recently said that if it is not returned, Russia will be forced to cut supplies even more.
Putin also said that another piece of important equipment will be sent away for maintenance soon, as reported by BBC with reference to Russian news agency TASS.
The drop in gas supplies through Nord Stream 1 will likely make it difficult for European countries to recover their gas supplies before winter, when gas consumption usually reaches it s peak.
European countries, meanwhile, rush to find alternative gas supplies, such as liquiefied natural gas from US, which can be transported in tanker ships. However, creation of infrastructure to allow imports of gas from new suppliers is not only expensive, but also very time-consuming.
It is unlikely it will be possible to replace Russian gas in full by next winter.
At the end of February, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, plans for the opening of the second branch of Nord Stream pipeline were put on hold.
Critics of Nord Stream 2 project have claimed for a long time that it would provide Russia too much control over Europe’s energy sector.
Also read: Declaration of state of emergency over gas requested in Estonia