EUROPE was bracing itself for severe energy shortages as Russia closed the Nord Stream gas pipeline today with flows expected to stop for at least 10 days.

“From July 11-21 2022, Nord Stream AG will temporarily shut down both lines of its gas pipeline system for annual routine maintenance works,” a statement said. 

But governments across the continent fear that the shutdown may be extended because of the conflict in Ukraine. 

Last month Russia cut supplies to just 40 per cent of the pipeline’s total capacity, citing the delayed return of equipment being serviced by German energy company Siemens in Canada. 

The Canadian government allowed the return of the turbines from Montreal under what minister of natural resources Jonathan Wilkinson described on Sunday as a “time-limited and revocable permit.”

Germany claims that Russia’s decision to cut supplies is designed to push up prices and increase pressure on Western governments which have imposed sanctions in response to the invasion of Ukraine. 

Economy Minister Robert Habeck has said the country should be prepared for the possibility of Russia extending the maintenance period beyond the expected 10-day period. 

“Based on the pattern we’ve seen, it would not be very surprising now if some small, technical detail is found and then they could say ‘now we can’t turn it on any more’,” he has previously said.

Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov dismissed the German claims and said that nobody was “inventing” any repairs.

Many Germans are set to struggle to pay heating bills this winter with the Cities and Municipalities Association has suggested providing the most vulnerable people with public “warm-up” places instead.

The western German city of Ludwigshafen is about to convert its Friedrich-Ebert-Halle arena into a giant warm-up hall, according to city mayor, Jutta Steinruck.

Western sanctions have seriously hit supplies as the European Union aims to end reliance on Russian gas and oil by the end of the year. 

Poland, Bulgaria, Finland and the Netherlands have had gas supplies suspended for refusing to pay in roubles.