Russian energy giant Gazprom will halt natural gas deliveries to Europe via its main pipeline for three days, severely tightening energy supplies when Germany attempts to accumulate winter reserves.

Due to maintenance, the Russian producer will not export gas to Germany via the Nord Stream pipeline between August 31 and September 2.

The operation will include the sole functioning turbine that can pump gas into the pipeline at the Portovaya compressor station. The Portovaya compressor station is located on the Russian Baltic Sea coast.

The European gas market has been tense for months as Russia has gradually reduced pipeline deliveries to 20 percent of capacity.

Gazprom has cited problems with turbines, but European lawmakers think the reductions are politically driven as Russia retaliates against sanctions imposed on it for invading Ukraine.

The shutdown will occur just as Germany scrambles to fill storage facilities to at least 95% capacity by November. Germany's energy authority stated that this does not necessarily guarantee that there would be enough gas for the winter if Russia cuts off supplies. Russia also limits deliveries to Europe via Ukraine.

The disruption of Nord Stream for three days was a severe blow to already weak markets, but the situation could have been far worse.

The minor maintenance performed outside of peak heating demand indicates that the solitary turbine is being maintained and may continue operating for the time being. In July, the pipeline was shut down for ten days due to yearly maintenance, and many feared that supplies would not return.

Tom Marzec-Manser, head of gas analytics at ICIS in London, stated that the market would take Gazprom's statement with a large grain of salt because of widespread concerns that the pipeline will not return to service on schedule or at all.

European gas prices registered their longest streak of weekly increases this year on Friday, aggravating the suffering of businesses and people and threatening to push economies into recession.

Siemens Energy, which manufactured the turbines and has service contracts with Gazprom, will do the subsequent maintenance, per the statement.

Gazprom stated that gas transport would be restored to 33 million cubic meters daily upon completion of the work and in the absence of technical problems in the unit.

That is equivalent to the current capacity of 20%. The pipeline has a daily capacity of around 167 million cubic meters.

The Russian compressor station at Portovaya, where the pipeline begins, is designed to operate six large and two smaller turbines. After maintenance in Canada, one turbine is stranded in Germany, while others still in Russia require repairs in Canada or on-site.

After Gazprom's statement, European benchmark futures climbed by 9%.