Scholz blames Russia for Nord Stream turbine delay

Berlin, Aug 3 (EFE).- German chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday Russia was to blame for the delay in the shipping of a turbine for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline which has resulted in reduced flows of gas to Europe.

“The turbine works,” Scholz said while standing alongside it during a visit to the Siemens Energy factory in Muelheim an der Ruhr in Germany.

Russian energy giant Gazprom claims the reduction of gas flows through the pipeline, which has been reduced to 20% of its capacity, is due to technical problems around a missing turbine.

The turbine was returned to Germany on July 17 after being held in Canada for maintenance work. Russia had claimed it could not be sent back to Moscow due to Western sanctions imposed in response to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The turbine has since been stranded in Germany in an energy standoff in which Berlin has accused Moscow of using gas flows as a political weapon.

“It’s quite clear and simple, the turbine is here and can be delivered, but someone needs to say ‘I want to have it,’” Scholz said.

The chancellor added that it “could make sense” to keep Germany’s three remaining nuclear power plants running due to the energy crisis despite plans to shut them down.

The reduction in gas supplies through the pipeline has prompted the European Union to design a draft law for all member states to reduce gas use by 15% until next spring. EFE

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