Memory 90 percent full
The Federal Network Agency is still not giving the all-clear on gas
08/13/2023 5:08 am
It was the nightmare scenario of last summer when Putin gradually turned off the gas in Germany: the energy source could become so scarce that the state would have to take over distribution. It didn’t get that far, also because the reservoirs were filled from other sources. Is the supply already secured this winter?
Despite well-filled gas storage, the Federal Network Agency sees “residual risks” for the energy supply in the coming winter – and wants to call for savings again. After the loss of Russian gas, there are stable other sources of supply. “It would still be premature to give the all-clear,” said Klaus Müller, President of the Authority, to the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. “Residual risks remain.” This includes a very cold winter in Europe. “Russian President Vladimir Putin could also turn off the gas tap for Southeast Europe. Attacks on pipelines remain a horror scenario.”
The German gas storage facilities are currently about 90 percent full – and thus significantly fuller than in the summer of last year. In addition, industry and households have reduced their consumption and less gas has to be passed on to other countries, said Müller. Nevertheless, he will “again call for saving and careful use of gas when the heating season approaches”.
“I can hope that it goes off lightly”
“Wirtschaftsweise” Veronika Grimm also warned that the gas supply could definitely become tight again – despite the liquid gas terminals that have been built in the meantime. “There are still countries in Europe that purchase Russian gas, and if the supply were to be cut off, we would have to rush to help,” the economist told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “What applied to last winter also applies to this winter. And one can hope that things will go off lightly again.” Ideally, the population would be “sensitized in a similar way to last year – and then heat more sparingly”.
The gas storage facilities compensate for fluctuations in consumption and thus form a buffer system for the market. In winter, the filling levels usually decrease, after the end of the heating period they increase again. According to earlier information from the Federal Government, the amount of natural gas stored in the reservoirs at 100 percent level corresponds to the consumption of two to three average cold winter months.