The previous day, it was reported that state-owned giant Gazprom, the system’s operator in Russia and Belarus, had booked no capacity for gas transit on Tuesday.
The choice not to export natural gas comes as demand for energy in both Russia and the rest of Europe reaches its winter peak.
Day time temperatures in Moscow this week are forecast to be below -20 degrees Celsius, which is - 4 in Fahrenheit.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained:
- This is an absolutely commercial situation
- For the specific reasons, you should ask Gazprom
The pipeline was completed in September and now connects Russia to Germany without passing through any third country.
This means that, once it starts operation, gas transit will become less reliant on 3rd parties, thereby lowering the commodity’s price.
However, due to issues with bureaucracy, it is yet to be certified.
Some Western officials have accused Moscow of purposefully reducing gas supplies, allegedly to force the EU to approve the pipeline.
Peskov clarified:
- There is no connection here
Last year, around 1/5 of all natural gas sent to Western Europe went via Belarus.
Energy supplies through the system vary based on consumption, including within Russia, which Gazprom prioritizes over sending fuel abroad.
On Monday, Kiev also accused Russia of sending the minimal amount of gas through Ukraine, suggesting that Moscow is trying to blackmail Europe into certifying Nord Stream 2.
Writing on Facebook, the head of Ukraine’s state-owned Gas Transport System said that Russia had broken promises to increase supply to the EU while noting that the contract had been fulfilled.
Author: Jonny Tickle
