Poland refuses `poor quality` Russian gas

Warsaw: Poland`s state-owned pipeline operator said Wednesday it had temporarily suspended delivery of Russian gas supplies via the Yamal pipeline over quality concerns. 

Gaz-System S.A. announced "that due to poor quality of natural gas it is not able to off-take fuel to the domestic transmission system at the Interconnection Point (IP) on the Yamal pipeline," the operator said in a statement. 

It added that the suspension which began early Wednesday and will last until Friday morning, would not have an effect on the domestic gas distribution system.

A specialist website, Energetyka24, said the natural gas contained too much water and the pipeline operator didn`t have the equipment to remove it.

Poland currently relies on Russia for about 40 percent of its gas, with a third coming from domestic sources and 20 percent from central Asia.

But the EU member is seeking energy independence from Russia, having launched a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Swinoujscie on the Baltic coast last year.