Nord Stream 1 at 20 percent
Russia continues to turn off the gas supply to Germany
07/27/2022, 12:38 p.m
From now on, only a fifth of the actual capacity flows through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. Germany is thus coming under further pressure. However, the Federal Network Agency already sees successes in saving gas.
As announced, Russia has further restricted gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. According to the German network operator Gascade, 1.28 million cubic meters per hour and thus 20 percent of the actual capacity have been flowing through the tube since 8 a.m. Even the largest German gas importer Uniper receives only a fifth of the agreed delivery volume from the Russian gas giant Gazprom, as the company explained.
The renewed cuts make it more difficult for Germany to fill the gas storage facilities for the winter as planned. The federal government is desperately looking for alternatives to Russian gas and ways to save gas. The Federal Network Agency sees initial successes. Gazprom announced on Monday that it would only deliver 20 percent of Nord Stream 1’s gas capacity to Western Europe due to another missing turbine.
Before and after a ten-day maintenance break, during which no gas flowed at all, Gazprom had turned on 40 percent of its capacity. The cuts have driven up the price of gas and put the gas importer Uniper under pressure, which the federal government is now helping with state aid. Uniper has announced legal action against Gazprom.
“The key is to save gas”
The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, sees initial success in saving gas. Private households, but also industry, consumed “five, six, seven percent less,” he said on Deutschlandfunk. All savings efforts by the federal government, the economy, the federal states are necessary. “Germany must use less gas.” Something must now be done in all areas of society, be it technical innovation or the diversification of energy sources.
“But the key thing is saving gas. And I’d like to hear less complaints, so to speak, but more reports where someone says we as an industry, we as a city, we as a region are helping to save gas,” said Müller. At the same time, consumers would have to adjust to higher energy prices. “It’s a price development on announcement.” When asked whether the third gas emergency level would have to be declared in a few weeks, Müller answered cautiously. “I just can’t predict that.” This depends on certain conditions, such as the temperature development in late summer.
Müller does not see an imminent third gas emergency level given the current 20 percent gas throughput in Nord Stream 1. “If you had asked me whether it was right around the corner, I would have said: If it stays at this 20 percent and if my forecast stays that we might still be able to save in the next few days and weeks, then we don’t have a physical gas shortage yet.” This is the prerequisite for the third emergency level.
Compensation via alternative route?
Meanwhile it became known that Gazprom has booked significantly more capacity on the Transgas pipeline through Slovakia than in the past few days. This was reported by the pipeline operator Eugas. In the Slovakian border town of Velke Kapusany, the starting point of the Slovakian section, the transmission of 68.6 million cubic meters of gas was announced. The day before it was 36.8 million cubic meters. The booking indicates that Gazprom will make up for lost gas supplies to Europe at Nord Stream 1 via the route through Slovakia.
Transgas is a pipeline that runs from Russia via Ukraine to Slovakia and to Austria and Germany. The additional gas quantities nominated correspond approximately to the throttling through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which Gazprom justified with the repair of another turbine.
However, the booking of additional capacity is not proof that Gazprom will actually send more gas through the pipeline. However, there are other indications. The operator of the Ukrainian pipeline section TSOU complained on Tuesday that the Russian gas giant had increased the pressure in the pipelines there without warning. This suggests that Gazprom is pumping more gas through the pipeline.