Germany relied heavily on Moscow gas to power its homes and heavy industry, but managed to reduce Moscow’s share of its imports to 35% from 55% before the start of the war in Ukraine. Habeck said security of supply is currently guaranteed despite the “deteriorating situation in the gas market” in recent days. The rise in prices was “the strategy of (Russian President Vladimir Putin) Putin to upset us, to raise prices and to divide us,” Habek said. “We will not allow it. We are resisting resolutely, accurately and thoughtfully,” he said. Despite Germany’s plans to abandon coal-fired power generation, Habek, a Green Party politician in the center-left ruling coalition, has announced a return to “coal-fired power stations for a transitional period” to reduce consumption. gas for electricity generation. “We are creating a reserve gas substitute on duty. This is bitter, but it is almost necessary in this situation to reduce gas consumption,” said Habeck.
Gas storage rules
The Hubeck ministry is preparing a “gas auction model to be launched this summer to motivate industrial gas consumers to save on gas,” according to the press release. Industry was a key factor in reducing gas consumption, Habeck said.
In March, German lawmakers passed a law on gas storage that stipulates that gas storage facilities must be almost full at the start of the heating season in order for winter to pass safely.
“Filling levels have been set for this purpose: By October 1st, storage areas must be 80% full, by November 1st 90% and by February 1st another 40%,” according to the law.
At present, around 56% of gas storage tanks are filled to above average in Germany compared to previous years, despite storage levels being at an all-time low at the beginning of the year.
“We must and will do everything we can to store as much gas as possible in summer and autumn. Gas storage facilities must be full by winter. This is the top priority,” Habeck said.
In March, Putin threatened to cut gas supplies to “unfriendly” countries that refused to pay in rubles rather than euros or dollars quoted in contracts.
Since then, Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom has been offering customers a solution. Buyers could make payments in euros or dollars to an account at Russia’s Gazprombank, which would then convert the funds into rubles and transfer them to a second account from which the payment would be made in Russia.
However, several European companies, including Shell Energy, refused to comply, prompting Gazprom to cut off gas supplies to Shell’s German customers in June.
On Thursday, Gazprom cut off flows through Gazprom’s Nord Stream 1 pipeline – a major artery connecting Russian gas to Germany – for the second time in days, sending prices soaring.
The Russian energy giant said it had cut off gas supplies because German company Siemens Energy had delayed the return of the turbines in need of repair.
Siemens had transported the turbines to one of its Canadian plants for maintenance. In a statement on Tuesday, it said it was “impossible” for equipment to return to Russia because of sanctions imposed by Canada on its invasion of Ukraine.
In response to Gazprom’s move, Habeck said the justification for announcing further cuts in gas supplies to Europe was a “pretext” and a strategy to raise prices.
title: “Germany To Launch Coal Fired Power Plant As Russia Squeezes Gas Supplies " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Linda Nickel”
Germany relied heavily on Moscow gas to power its homes and heavy industry, but managed to reduce Moscow’s share of its imports to 35% from 55% before the start of the war in Ukraine. Habeck said security of supply is currently guaranteed despite the “deteriorating situation in the gas market” in recent days. The rise in prices was “the strategy of (Russian President Vladimir Putin) Putin to upset us, to raise prices and to divide us,” Habek said. “We will not allow it. We are resisting resolutely, accurately and thoughtfully,” he said. Despite Germany’s plans to abandon coal-fired power generation, Habek, a Green Party politician in the center-left ruling coalition, has announced a return to “coal-fired power stations for a transitional period” to reduce consumption. gas for electricity generation. “We are creating a reserve gas substitute on duty. This is bitter, but it is almost necessary in this situation to reduce gas consumption,” said Habeck.
Gas storage rules
The Hubeck ministry is preparing a “gas auction model to be launched this summer to motivate industrial gas consumers to save on gas,” according to the press release. Industry was a key factor in reducing gas consumption, Habeck said.
In March, German lawmakers passed a law on gas storage that stipulates that gas storage facilities must be almost full at the start of the heating season in order for winter to pass safely.
“Filling levels have been set for this purpose: By October 1st, storage areas must be 80% full, by November 1st 90% and by February 1st another 40%,” according to the law.
At present, around 56% of gas storage tanks are filled to above average in Germany compared to previous years, despite storage levels being at an all-time low at the beginning of the year.
“We must and will do everything we can to store as much gas as possible in summer and autumn. Gas storage facilities must be full by winter. This is the top priority,” Habeck said.
In March, Putin threatened to cut gas supplies to “unfriendly” countries that refused to pay in rubles rather than euros or dollars quoted in contracts.
Since then, Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom has been offering customers a solution. Buyers could make payments in euros or dollars to an account at Russia’s Gazprombank, which would then convert the funds into rubles and transfer them to a second account from which the payment would be made in Russia.
However, several European companies, including Shell Energy, refused to comply, prompting Gazprom to cut off gas supplies to Shell’s German customers in June.
On Thursday, Gazprom cut off flows through Gazprom’s Nord Stream 1 pipeline – a major artery connecting Russian gas to Germany – for the second time in days, sending prices soaring.
The Russian energy giant said it had cut off gas supplies because German company Siemens Energy had delayed the return of the turbines in need of repair.
Siemens had transported the turbines to one of its Canadian plants for maintenance. In a statement on Tuesday, it said it was “impossible” for equipment to return to Russia because of sanctions imposed by Canada on its invasion of Ukraine.
In response to Gazprom’s move, Habeck said the justification for announcing further cuts in gas supplies to Europe was a “pretext” and a strategy to raise prices.
