The Reuters news agency says it has seen a letter in which the gas company Gazprom appeals to special circumstances beyond its control.
Russian the state gas company Gazprom has pleaded in the reduction of its gas supplies force majeure situation for at least one of its large customers in Europe since July 14, reports news agency Reuters.
Reuters says it has seen a letter in which Gazprom says it is unable to meet its gas supply obligations due to special circumstances beyond its control.
According to Reuters sources, Gazprom’s letter concerns the import of gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany. Gazprom did not immediately comment on the matter to Reuters.
Force majeure means a force majeure obstacle that the company cannot do anything about and could not have prepared for.
Nord Stream 1 has been closed since July 11 due to maintenance work. According to the schedule, the maintenance work should be over on Thursday, July 21.
Even before the maintenance work, Germany said that it would receive only 40 percent of the agreed amount of gas from Gazprom via Nord Stream. The amount of gas coming from Russia to Europe via other significant gas routes has also decreased this summer.
According to Gazprom, it has not been able to deliver the normal amount of gas through Nord Stream because the German Siemens has not been able to return the turbines that were under maintenance in Canada on time.
Germany, on the other hand, has considered the weakened gas flows of Nord Stream as a political move by Russia. According to the Russian Kommersant, the turbine that was stuck in Canada left for Germany on Sunday, from where it will be taken to Russia via Finland.
Read more: The controversial Nord Stream gas pipeline turbine will be transported to Russia via Finland, Kommersant reports
in Europe it has been feared that Russia will keep Nord Stream 1 closed even after the maintenance work.
The plight of Uniper, the German subsidiary of Finland’s Fortum, is largely due to reduced gas flows.
The rescue package for the company is currently being negotiated between the companies and the governments of Finland and Germany.
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