MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian energy giant Gazprom is poised to restart gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany on schedule on Saturday after a three-day halt for maintenance, two sources familiar with Gazprom’s plans said on Friday.
Nord Stream 1, which runs under the Baltic Sea to supply Germany and others, was running at 20% capacity even before flows were halted for three days this week for maintenance. Deliveries are due to resume on Saturday at 0100 GMT.
“Supplies should proceed” as scheduled, one of the sources told Reuters.
Moscow blames sanctions, imposed by the West after Russia sent troops to Ukraine in February, for hampering routine operations and maintenance of Nord Stream 1. Brussels says this is a pretext and Russia is using gas as an economic weapon.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added to concerns on Friday, saying there could be more disruptions to deliveries via Nord Stream 1.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Edmund Blair)
