Gazprom to shut down Nord Stream 1 pipeline for 72 hours

MOSCOW/FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Russian energy giant Gazprom will halt flows on the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline to Germany for maintenance from 0100 GMT on Aug. 31 to 0100 GMT on Sept. 3, according to energy market information disclosure platform Seeburger.

The confirmation on timing of the maintenance on the pipeline that runs under the Baltic Sea to Germany continues an energy stand-off between Moscow and Brussels that has helped to accelerate inflation in the region and raised the risk of rationing and recession.

Gazprom flagged the shutdown early this month without giving exact times.

Kremlin-controlled company has already reduced flows through Nord Stream 1, the single biggest pipeline carrying Russian gas to Germany, to 20% of capacity because of what it describes as faulty equipment.

Gas flows via other pipeline routes have also fallen since Russia sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what Moscow calls a “special military operation”.

Nominations for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline have fallen to zero from Aug. 31, 0200 CET, data on the operator’s website show.

Flows via Nord Stream 1 were fairly stable on Tuesday at about 20% of capacity.

The shutdown follows a 10-day maintenance curtailment in July and has raised fears over whether Russia will resume gas supplies after the shutdown.

(Reporting by Matthias WilliamsWriting by Christoph SteitzEditing by Paul Carrel, Miranda Murray and David Goodman)