Russian Gazprom announces it will cut off gas supply for three days

A key Russian natural gas pipeline will be closed for three days of maintenance at the end of this month, the state energy company Gazprom announced on Friday, boosting economic pressure on Germany and other European countries dependent on fuel for the energy industry, electricity and heating homes.

The latest closure will come a month after Gazprom restored natural gas supply through the pipeline to only a fifth of its capacity after an earlier closure for maintenance.

Russia has blamed reductions through the pipeline for technical problems, but Germany has called the closures a political movement of the Kremlin to sow uncertainty and increase prices amid the conflict in Ukraine.

Natural gas prices rose after the announcement and are now more than twice as high as a year ago.

In a statement, Gazprom said the planned closure from August 31st to September 2nd is for “routine maintenance” at a key compressor station along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, connecting western Russia and Germany.

Natural gas prices have increased after Russia has lowered or interrupted natural gas flows into a dozen European Union countries, boosting inflation and increasing the risk of Europe sinking into recession.

Newly announced maintenance closure raises additional fears that Russia could completely cut off gas in an effort to gain political influence over Europe as it tries to increase its winter storage levels.

The Germans have been warned to lower the use of gas so that the country will have enough for next winter, the AP reports, broadcasts Clankosova.tv.

Gazprom said that once the job is complete, the flow of gas through Nord Stream 1 will resume at the previous 33m cubic metres level, or only 20 per cent of the pipeline's capacity.