West News Wire: Robert Habeck, the vice chancellor of Germany and minister of economy, expressed his hope that the Nord Stream pipeline would once again be used to transport Russian natural gas after its yearly 10-day maintenance is finished.
According to TASS’s translation of Habeck’s statement to ARD broadcaster, “I have no secret information regarding either the first or the second scenario. “The potential is there.”
The minister claims that Germany is still very concerned about a gas shortage in the upcoming fall and winter.
We just need to reduce our consumption even further, he said, if more gas cannot be put on the market.
The Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline’s operations were put on hold on Monday due to the annual maintenance, which is scheduled to be finished on July 21. In the middle of June, the flow of gas through the major conduit was slashed to 40% of its capacity due to operational challenges caused by the failure to return a serviced turbine on time from Canada due to the sanctions on Russia.
The Canadian government said it would return the equipment despite criticism and pressure from Ukraine. However, Ottawa has not set a date for shipping the turbine back to Germany.
