EU head says turbine cannot be blamed for Russian gas flow curbs

A turbine for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline is set to arrive on time in Russia and cannot be used as an excuse not to restart deliveries to Europe when maintenance on the pipeline ends on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. "It's already in transit back so there is no pretext not to deliver gas. It's not the one and single turbine in the world that fits.

A turbine for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline is set to arrive on time in Russia and cannot be used as an excuse not to restart deliveries to Europe when maintenance on the pipeline ends on Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

"It's already in transit back so there is no pretext not to deliver gas. By the way, there are potentially also alternative turbines that fit. It's not the one and single turbine in the world that fits. There are identical turbines," she told a news conference on Wednesday.

Kremlin-controlled Gazprom cut gas exports via the pipeline to 40% of capacity in June, citing delays in the return of a turbine that Siemens Energy was servicing in Canada.