The flow through the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline fell to zero Monday morning. According to this, there has been no gas flow since 6 a.m. The pipeline that runs through the Baltic Sea will have to be serviced annually for the next ten days and therefore cannot be used for gas transport. So less gas is stored in Austria.
Western Europe is concerned whether the Russian energy company Gazprom will pump gas to the west again after the maintenance. For several weeks, Gazprom has only been supplying part of the gas volume, for technical reasons.
However, the federal government considers the cuts to be politically motivated. Given the uncertainty beyond July 21, countries like Germany have launched contingency plans for a total gas outage in Russia.
Current offer in Austria assured
The interruption in supply also means less natural gas from Russia for Austria. According to the regulator E-Control, less gas can be stored, but the current supply is assured. Austria receives most of its gas supply through Ukraine, not through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.
According to Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens), it is uncertain whether gas will flow again after the maintenance work, as Russian President Vladimir Putin is unpredictable. “No one can predict today whether deliveries will fully resume after that. July 21 is therefore a critical date for gas supplies across Europe,” she emphasized on Sunday.
Warning for “political nightmare scenario”
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) warned of a “political nightmare scenario”. The government is trying to prepare for the worst with its measures to prevent just that, he said of the fallout from a gas outage. In view of the sharp rise in gas prices, he also warned that there would be too much social division “without further political support”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
