Gazprom plans to take another Siemens gas turbine offline at the Portovaya compressor station. As a result, the Nord Stream flow would drop to about one-fifth of its intended capacity, effectively halving the pipeline’s output. (Source: company statement)
In line with the overhauls schedule and Rostekhnadzor guidance, Gazprom will cease operation of a second Siemens turbine at Portovaya CS, citing the ongoing maintenance cycle and the engine’s technical state. The holding noted that the shift aligns with the revision timeline for routine servicing.
The station’s daily throughput is set to fall to 33 million cubic meters starting July 27 at 07:00 Moscow time, down from 67 million cubic meters per day. (Context: current operational targets)
Prices for European gas rose sharply on the news, climbing around 12 percent to exceed $1,890 per thousand cubic meters. The German Ministry of Economy stated there is no technical reason for the supply reduction, while Siemens Energy argues that the turbine issue and the gas pipeline’s function are not directly linked to the outage, stressing that maintenance of turbines remains a routine activity. (Attribution: official statements)
President Vladimir Putin had warned last week that another turbine could be sent for repair toward the end of July. (Source: Kremlin briefings)
Problems at the station
Issues at the Portovaya compressor station surfaced in June, impacting Nord Stream operations that transport gas to Europe. On June 14 and 15, Gazprom announced the shutdown of the first two, then a subsequent unit serving Nord Stream. Gazprom attributed the delays to Siemens, which did not return the required turbine from Canada on time. Siemens countered that sanctions pressured the process, noting one turbine was undergoing repairs in Canada and Ottawa then restricted its return to Russia.
Gas pumping via Nord Stream was reduced to 67 million cubic meters per day, and since mid-June, deliveries have been about 40 percent of the planned volume. (Source: press releases and industry reports)
From July 11 to July 21, Russia temporarily halted gas deliveries through Nord Stream during a maintenance window.
Turbine return from Canada
Germany, which had contracted gas through Nord Stream in July, saw Canada return the turbine to Gazprom after protracted negotiations. Ottawa granted permission for five more units to be repaired and returned to Russia within two years, with Canada agreeing to handle turbine movements through Germany.
On July 17, Canada sent equipment to Germany, and Berlin confirmed receipt on July 21. While plans called for sending the turbine to Russia on July 23, the shipment could not be completed. Reuters reported that Russia did not accept the shipment. Siemens Energy stated that German authorities had provided the necessary documents to ship the turbine to Russia earlier, but customs paperwork for import to Russia remained insufficient. Gazprom, as the customer, was urged to submit the required documents so that turbine transportation could commence without delay.
On July 24, it was learned that Canada issued an export license that Siemens Energy transferred to Gazprom. The license enables repairs and the transport of Nord Stream turbines by the end of 2024. On July 25, Gazprom confirmed receipt and review of turbine-related documents from Siemens by Canadian authorities, yet noted unresolved risks and questions, particularly regarding EU and UK sanctions that affect turbine delivery to Russia and the urgent overhaul of other Portovaya engines.
The future of gas supply
Kremlin spokespeople indicated that once the turbine returns from repair and formalities are completed, gas would be pumped through Nord Stream to the fullest extent technically feasible. Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to the president, acknowledged ongoing issues with other Siemens units but stressed the turbine would be installed after the necessary procedures, allowing continued pumping as far as technically possible. He also referenced remarks by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about Russia’s reliability as a gas supplier and urged European states to reduce consumption. Scholz had suggested that various pipelines, including those via Ukraine or Yamal, will ensure Russia meets its supply obligations, and he described Moscow’s claims of technical delivery failures as convincing. The Nord Stream pipeline, commissioned in 2011, spans about 1,224 kilometers and has an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas. (Attribution: government and press responses)