Canada to Send Sanctioned Nord Stream Turbines to Germany After July 14, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Shipments of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline's turbines to Germany from Canada, where they were sent for repairs and then stranded due to sanctions on Russia, may start after mid-July, Russian business newspaper Kommersant reported on Monday, citing sources aware of the matter.

The turbines were grounded in mid-June when Ottawa banned the export of engines, software, electronics and aircraft to "deny Russia access to goods and technology that could benefit their military."

The equipment is still going through testing in the repair facility of the UK's Industrial Turbine Company Limited, owned by Siemens Energy. The compressor and the gas turbine are expected to be sent from Canada after July 14 and arrive in Germany for onward transportation to Russia, which may take up to two weeks, Kommersant reported. The installation of the equipment is expected to take another couple of days.

On Sunday, Canadian Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson said that Ottawa made a decision to return the Nord Stream 1 turbine to Germany to help Europe have access to "reliable and affordable energy."

It is unclear where other turbines will undergo maintenance or how much Russia's energy giant Gazprom may build up the volumes of gas piped to Europe via Nord Stream 1. The deliveries are projected to rise by 20% to 100 million cubic meters per day.

The Nord Stream gas pipeline in the German town of Lubmin.

© Sputnik / Grigory Sysoev

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In mid-June, Gazprom significantly reduced gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline due to technical issues at the Portovaya compressor station, where only three gas compressor units were functioning after Siemens delayed planned repairs.

Earlier in the day, the pipeline's operator, Nord Stream AG, announced it would stop the deliveries for maintenance, including testing of mechanical components and automation systems. Maintenance is expected to take place between July 11 and 21. Some countries, including Germany and Austria, have expressed fears that the supplies may decline or halt once the work is completed.

Gazprom used to boost gas supplies to Central and Western Europe via other pipelines during previous maintenance shutdowns and it remains to be seen if the company will resort to these measures now. However, it is practically impossible to replace the Nord Stream 1 volumes, as Ukraine restricted transit of Russian gas, citing force majeure, while the capacities of the Yamal-Europe pipeline via Poland are not used due to the sanctions imposed on Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine.