Russian energy company Gazprom is to shut a pipeline carrying fuel to Europe for three days. The state-owned energy firm says it the closure will be carried out for "routine maintenance".
In a statement posted online, Gazprom said that the only operational turbine at a key compressor station along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which links Western Russia and Germany, will shut down for routine maintenance from August 31 to September 2.
“A set of routine maintenance in accordance with the current maintenance contract will be carried out jointly with Siemens specialists,” the company said, in a reference to its German partner, Siemens Energy. Gazprom said that once work is completed, the flow of gas through Nord Stream 1 will resume at its prior level of 33 million cubic metres, or just 20% of the pipeline’s nominal capacity.
