
Russia has been delivering significantly less gas to Germany for weeks, and concerns about an energy shortage in the coming heating season are growing.
But now there is news that gives hope: Despite the restricted Russian deliveries, the German gas storage facilities are more than 75 percent full again. According to the latest, still provisional data from European gas storage operators on Saturday evening, the level on Friday morning was 75.43 percent.
The first milestone for filling the storage facility was thus achieved a good two weeks earlier than planned, mainly thanks to lower consumption in the summer and strong imports from north-west Europe. According to a regulation by the Federal Ministry of Economics, a memory level of at least three quarters was actually only the plan for the September 1st deadline.
The head of the network agency, Klaus Müller, was correspondingly satisfied and initially relieved. “We reached the first interim goal ahead of time. That’s gratifying,” said Müller. The next goals are ambitious. “Now it is important not to let up when filling the storage tanks. The gas that is now flowing into the storage tanks can help us in the winter.”
Russia is currently pumping gas to Germany, but the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 1, which is important for this, has only been used at around 20 percent for a good two weeks. Technical reasons are responsible for this, says the Russian gas company. However, the German side considers this to be a pretense.
The federal government wants to use various measures to ensure that the gas storage facilities in Germany are almost full at the beginning of the heating period. Germany should thus be better armed against a possible total failure of Russian deliveries in winter.
After the milestones for September and October, for which an 85 percent fill level is targeted, the plan is to have the gas storage tanks at least 95 percent full by November 1st. The storage facilities compensate for fluctuations in gas consumption and thus form a kind of buffer system for the gas market. The amount of gas stored at a level of 95 percent corresponds approximately to the nationwide consumption in January and February 2022.
Despite the prematurely reached 75 percent, experts see no reason for euphoria. The managing director of the Ines storage association, Sebastian Bleschke, spoke of a “good perspective”. But the 75 percent is just an interim goal. “In essence, it’s about achieving 95 percent on November 1,” he told the German Press Agency. With normal temperatures in October, the beginning of the heating season will have a strong impact on storage options. Due to the sharply reduced gas imports, it is therefore possible that the target for the filling level will be missed.
With normal temperatures and the reduced gas deliveries via Nord Stream 1, the stored gas could be used up as early as March or April, Bleschke warned. “Should Russia stop gas supplies altogether, sooner.” However, it could also be too close before March.
“Because it can happen that on particularly cold days, the gas withdrawal from the network is so high that the simultaneous gas feeds are not sufficient to cover demand,” said Bleschke. Then demand would have to be reduced, although there was still gas in storage.
In view of the energy shortage and rising prices, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) vowed to stick together in society at the weekend. “We are facing a national effort,” stressed Habeck. And Scholz said: “The situation in autumn and winter will be difficult.” But the country is prepared. “If we stick together, then we will make it,” said the Chancellor.
“Every contribution counts,” said Habeck. The federal government is consistently pursuing its policy of becoming independent of Russian energy supplies. “But it is also very important to save significantly more gas: in public administration, in companies, in as many private households as possible,” emphasized the minister.
Habeck is already planning savings measures for this heating season. For example, offices in public properties should only be heated to 19 degrees, with the exception of clinics, care facilities and other social facilities. In addition, monuments and government billboards should no longer be illuminated at night. A corresponding regulation with a validity of six months should be decided directly by the federal cabinet without the participation of the Bundestag or Bundesrat and come into force on September 1st.
Meanwhile, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner asked for an exception at EU level so that Germany would not have to levy VAT on the state gas levy. In a letter to the EU Finance Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, which was available to the German Press Agency, the FDP politician wrote: “VAT on state levies is driving up prices and is encountering increasing resistance from the population, especially in the current, extraordinary situation.”
Lindner asks Gentiloni to use his right of initiative and give the EU states the option of not levying VAT on government levies in the energy sector for a while. Irrespective of this, Germany will apply for an exception under Article 395 of the VAT Directive. Meanwhile, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) warned of attacks on the energy infrastructure in Germany. “We have to be prepared for possible attacks on gas terminals and other critical infrastructure,” she told the “Bild am Sonntag”. Against the background of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, she referred to protection against cyber attacks. But there are also new tasks: “We have to control the movements of Russian ships in the North and Baltic Seas and guard the new liquid gas terminals.”
In addition to the Russian threat, it is also about fighting extremism with all your might, said Fasser. “We are alarmed by the attempt by left-wing extremists to exploit climate protests. We take that very seriously. On the other hand, of course, we continue to see the danger from the right.”