The chairman of the German federal network agency, Klaus Müller, fears a total failure of Russia’s gas supply – and calls on the German population to save energy. The question is whether the upcoming regular maintenance of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline will “become a longer-term political maintenance,” Müller said.
If the gas flow from Russia is “motivated to be cut for an extended period of time, we should talk more seriously about savings”. The twelve weeks until the start of the heating season should be used to make preparations, Müller told the newspapers of media group Funke on Saturday.
Müller called on all home and apartment owners to have their gas condensing boilers and radiators checked quickly and efficiently adjusted. “Maintenance can reduce gas consumption by 10 to 15 percent,” he said. “It has to happen now and not just in the fall.” In order to overcome bottlenecks in the agreements of the professionals, he called on all professionals to focus on heating and hot water supply. In addition, the families should already be talking about “whether the usual temperature should be set in each room in winter – or whether it should be a bit colder in some rooms”.
Minister of Economic Affairs warned of serious problems
Economics Minister Robert Habeck made it clear on Thursday that he feared a complete lack of Russian gas supplies from Nord Stream. From July 11, there is a threat of a “total blockade of Nord Stream 1”, said the Green politician. Therefore, it can be very problematic in winter. The gas supply in the summer is guaranteed. On July 11, Nord Stream will begin annual maintenance work, which usually lasts ten days. Then no gas will flow through Nord Stream 1. The major concern is that Russia will no longer open the gas tap after maintenance.
According to Müller, private households, but also hospitals or nursing homes would receive special protection in the event of a gas stop. “I can promise that we will do everything we can to prevent homes from running out of gas,” he said. “We have learned from the Corona crisis that we should not make promises if we are not completely sure whether we can deliver on them.” However, the network agency sees “no scenario in which gas no longer comes to Germany”. If industrial companies have to be separated from the gas supply, “we focus on the business damage, the economic damage, the social consequences and also the technical requirements of operating the gas network,” says Müller.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
