Russia began to estimate the cost of restoring Nord Stream
In recent weeks, Nord Stream AG, the operator of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, began assessing how much pipe repair and restocking would cost. About it writes The New York Times, citing a person briefed on the leading work.
According to him, one of the estimates is $500 million. In addition, consultants are analyzing how long damaged pipes can cause the negative impact of salt water.
On the night of September 26, two strings of Nord Stream 1 and one of the two, Nord Stream 2, suffered losses. in the public prosecutor’s office in Sweden, which discovered the discovery, detection of pipe damage, traces of explosives. At the time of the explosion, SP-2 did not work (Germany did not allow it to be suspected after the discovery of the growth of the DPR and LPR, a full-scale second invasion of Ukraine was disclosed), pumping through SP-1 was not observed (“Gazprom” consumed up to 20% of the power summer, and from September and expected events).
What exactly happened to the gas pipelines is still unknown. “We don’t have specific signs. But I hope they will, ”said Daniel Stenling, head of Swedish counterintelligence. He is freed from the possibility of the emergence of culprits, but placed the explosions at Nord Stream in the context of the emergence of Russian espionage activities. “Against the background of the ongoing war in Ukraine, this is very interesting and very serious,” he added.
Some countries, in particular Poland and Germany, after the explosion said that Russia could be behind them, but evidence of her involvement at this point has not been found.
In 2021, Russia supplied 155 billion cubic meters of gas to the countries; this year, according to the energy agency, there will be about 60 billion. In October, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia was ready to produce gas through the intact Nord Stream 2 line. A week later about the same said said Vladimir Putin: Gazprom’s note, which explains the illness and the stoppage of pumping by the lack of either a turbine due to receipt or documentation for it, is now ready to pump gas through SP-2.
“The ball, as said, is on the side of the device. If they want, just let them open the tap, and that’s it, ”Putin said.
But the Europeans don’t want to. Instead, they bought a record amount of LNG (almost 160 billion cubic meters by the end of the year, according to Kpler), filled stocks and reduced consumption. From August to March 2023, the standard mandatory requirement is to reduce consumption by 15% from the five-year average. In August-November, the EU countries reduced it by 20.1%, reported Eurostat tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Russia, where gas production will fall by 18% to 20% this year, according to Novak, will continue to offer to resume supplies. “The European market remains relevant,” — declared Deputy Prime Minister in an interview with TASS, published on December 26.
“For example, the Yamal-Europe pipeline, which was stopped for numerous reasons, remains unused,” Novak added. Russia often refused payments as part of the payment for “rubles”.