The flow of Russian gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline is likely to resume on time on Thursday, July 21, after the completion of scheduled repairs. However, exports will not run at full capacity.

This is reported by Reuters.

The pipeline, which accounts for more than a third of Russia's natural gas exports to the European Union, was shut down for ten days of annual maintenance on July 11.

Russian sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the pipeline was supposed to resume operation on time, but with a capacity of less than 160 million cubic meters per day.

Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom last month cut gas exports through the route to 40 percent of capacity, citing delays in the return of a turbine Siemens Energy was servicing in Canada.

"They (Gazprom) will be back to the levels they were before July 11," one source said regarding the volume of gas expected through Nord Stream 1 starting Thursday.

The Kommersant newspaper reported Monday, citing sources familiar with the situation, that the turbine needed for Nord Stream 1, Canada sent by plane to Germany on July 17 after repairs were completed.

Germany's Economy Ministry said Monday it could not provide details of the turbine's whereabouts. But a ministry spokesman said the turbine was a spare part that was not expected to be used until September, meaning its absence could not have been the real reason for the drop in gas flows before the maintenance.

As a reminder, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the capacity of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, the largest link for Russian gas supplies to Europe, could be further halved.