- In Germany, the Minister for the Green Economy, Robert Habeck, is reportedly planning various measures to reduce gas consumption and fill gas storage facilities.
- This is happening after Russia has significantly reduced its gas supplies in recent days.
- For example, the use of gas for energy production is to be limited. Instead, more coal-fired power plants are to be used.
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck (The Greens) wants to take additional steps to save gas and increase precautionary measures in the face of reduced supplies of Russian gas. The aim is to reduce gas consumption in energy and industry and to promote the filling of storage facilities.
Caption: Habeck classifies the Gazprom choke as politically motivated. key stone
Billions are ready
The federal government is allocating billions of funds for this, the German Press Agency found out from government circles. In addition, more coal-fired power plants are to be used. The situation is serious, Habeck is quoted in a five-page newspaper shared by a German news agency. “Gas consumption has to keep falling, so more gas needs to be stored, otherwise it will be really cramped in winter.”
Gas consumption has to keep falling, so more gas has to go to the storage tanks, otherwise it will be really tight in winter.
The Russian state-owned company Gazprom has recently significantly reduced the flow of gas through the Nord Stream gas pipeline to the Baltic Sea. This was explained by delays in repairing compressor turbines by Siemens Energy.
Consequences of the war – no delays in repair
Habeck classified the measure as politically motivated. According to the green politician, the tense situation and high prices are a direct consequence of the Russian aggression against Ukraine on the orders of President Vladimir Putin. “This is, of course, Putin’s strategy to bother us, raise prices and divide us.”
The missing quantities could still be replenished and the gas tanks continued to be refilled, albeit at high prices. Security of supply is now guaranteed. According to Habeck, gas consumption in the power industry and industry should now be reduced and the storage tanks full. “We’ll take further action depending on the situation.”
Specifically, the plans are as follows:
- To safeguard gas storage, the federal government will soon provide an additional € 15 billion credit line through the state bank KfW, government circles report. The loan was therefore discussed with the Ministry of Finance. The Committee on Budgets should be informed in the coming week.
- Habeck is also planning a gas auction model for the summer. This is to encourage industrial gas consumers to save gas. In fact, it is about industrial customers who can do without gas, reduce consumption for a fee financed by the market – and make gas available so that it can be stored.
- As Habeck has already announced, less gas is to be used to produce electricity. Instead, coal-fired power plants should be “used more”.