Russia’s state-owned gas giant Gazprom will start filling the Power of Siberia (Sila Sibiri) natural gas pipeline that connects Russia to China from September 1, Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk said in its corporate magazine on March 14, as cited by Prime.

Gazprom and CNPC signed a contract worth $400bn to supply China with gas via the pipeline in 2014.

Gazprom plans to provide China with 38bn cubic metres (cm) of gas per year over 30 years through the pipeline. The company will start supplies via the pipeline with 5bn cm, and the facility will reach its full capacity after several years, according to bne intellinews.

In February, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said that gas exports to China via the pipeline will begin ahead of schedule on December 1.