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Context:

• The Nord Stream 1, Germany’s main source of gas from Russia, was shut down on July 11 for 10 days of scheduled maintenance work.
• There are growing concerns in European countries that Russia would extend the temporary suspension of gas supplies in retaliation against the current sanctions leveled against Moscow.

What is Nord Stream 1?

• Nord Stream 1 is a 1,224 km underwater gas pipeline that runs from Vyborg in northwest Russia to Lubmin in northeastern Germany via the Baltic Sea.
• Majority owned by the Russian energy giant Gazprom, the pipeline is the primary route through which its gas enters Germany.
• It transports 55 billion cubic metres of gas a year, of which most goes directly to Germany, while the rest travels west and southwards through onshore links to other countries and into storage caverns.

What are Europe’s alternative sources of energy?

• European countries rely on Russian energy for their cold winters, but now believe that Russia could weaponize their dependency as a response to their sanction due to the conflict in Ukraine.
• If Nord Stream 1 does not resume its supply to Europe, it will not have adequate gas supply by the end of the year.
• European countries have increasingly turned towards the US, from whom they purchase liquified natural gas (LNG) that comes via ships.
• While EU countries were earlier seeking to phase out fossil fuels and emphasize renewable forms of energy, many are now returning towards coal to deal with the energy crisis
• To assist Berlin’s energy crisis, the Canadian government announced it would circumvent its own sanctions and return a repaired Russian gas turbine to Germany that is required for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline.

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-nord-stream-1-gas-link-shutdown-europe-8023289/

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