Gazprom begins maintenance work on Nord Stream 1

By Murat Temizer

ANKARA (AA) - Gazprom on Monday started the annual maintenance of the Nord Stream 1, the biggest single pipeline carrying Russian gas to Germany, with flows expected to stop for 10 days.

According to the updated information on Nord Stream's website, the pipeline, which currently sends 67 million cubic meters of natural gas to Europe daily, will be taken into maintenance from July 11 to 21.

On June 15, Gazprom said that some technical equipment sent to the German Siemens company for maintenance had not yet returned, and warned that gas shipments through the Nord Stream pipeline would decrease.

Then, natural gas cuts were made at the rate of 40% of the total capacity.

Europe fears that Russia may extend scheduled maintenance to further restrict European gas supplies. European countries, which aim to fill their gas storage completely for the winter, are worried that these steps taken by Russia will spoil their plans.