Scholz estimated what would happen after the stoppage of gas supplies via Nord Stream

MOSCOW, 4 Sep — PRIME. Since December 2021, Germany has been looking for answers to the question of what will happen if gas supplies from the Russian Federation stop, and precisely because it began to prepare for this in advance, the country will be able to overcome the current difficulties, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.

“Since December last year, we have been looking for answers to the question of what will happen if this happens with the Minister of Economics and a consultant to the Chancellor’s office,” he said at a joint press conference with the chairmen of the SPD, FDP and the Greens, commenting on the non-resumption of gas supplies through Nord Stream. Communication with the media was broadcast live by Phoenix TV channel.

The chancellor expressed confidence that the country will be able to overcome difficulties, because it prepared in advance. Scholz also recalled that Germany was actively replenishing its gas storage facilities.

“Their filling will continue next winter,” he added.

Gazprom this week reported that Nord Stream, which was previously stopped for three days for scheduled maintenance, could not resume operation due to an oil leak at the only working Trent 60 unit. A representative of the German Siemens Energy told RIA Novosti that the company would not considers the conclusion of Gazprom as a technical reason for stopping the gas pipeline.

Nord Stream has been operating with restrictions since mid-June, and since the end of July, it has been operating at only 20% of its nearly 170 million cubic meters of capacity per day. The Russian side emphasized that the decrease in supplies was due solely to sanctions, which caused problems with the maintenance and repair of Siemens gas pumping units. Recently, only one turbine provided work.