Here we go again. Russia cut the supply of natural gas to Germany by about 60% last month claiming it had to do maintenance on the gas compressors that keep the Nord Stream I pipeline filled. Now Russia has announced the supply of gas will be cut even further. -- Russia’s state-owned gas monopoly, Gazprom, said on Monday that it would further reduce the amount of natural gas it sends to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, less than a week after it resumed limited flows after an annual maintenance shutdown.
Flows had already been cut back to 40 percent of capacity, but Gazprom said that it would crimp them to 20 percent starting Wednesday, citing problems with one of the powerful turbines that are manufactured by the German company Siemens Energy. The turbines build pressure within the pipeline to ship the gas long distances.
The first time Gazprom did this, Germany’s economic minister said the decision was political not technical. Today he’s once again not buying Russia’s excuses. -- “Based on our information there is no technical reason for a reduction in deliveries,” the German economy ministry said in a statement that followed Gazprom’s announcement.
Observers said the move smacked of President Vladimir V. Putin’s intention to use Russia’s energy exports as a cudgel to punish and divide European leaders by loosening or tightening the taps as it suits him and his war aims in Ukraine…
“Gazprom’s announcement should not surprise,” said Simone Tagliapietra, a senior fellow at Bruegel, a think tank based in Brussels. “Russia is playing a strategic game here. Fluctuating already low flows is better than a full cutoff as it manipulates the market and optimizes geopolitical impact.”
hotair.com
