Canada reports talks with Germany on Siemens-made Nord Stream 1 equipment

The capacity of Gazprom's Nord Stream 1 pipeline to supply gas to Europe is partly constrained as sanctions on Russia make it impossible for German equipment supplier Siemens to return the turbine being maintained in Canada, the companies said earlier this week.

 

"The government of Canada is in active discussions with Germany about the turbines in question, and we are working to reach a resolution," a spokesman for Canada's Natural Resources Minister said in a statement.

 

Russia's state-controlled Gazprom has cut the capacity along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to just 40% of usual levels in recent days citing the delayed return of equipment being serviced by Germany's Siemens Energy in Canada.

 

Moscow said Thursday more delays in repairs could lead to suspending all flows, putting a brake on Europe's race to refill its gas inventories. 

 

Siemens said in a statement this week that it supplied so-called aeroderivative gas turbines for a compressor station for Nord Stream 1 in 2009.

 

These were manufactured in Canada and needed to be regularly sent back for maintenance, Siemens Energy said, adding one of the turbines was currently being overhauled in Montreal.