The inauguration of its twin brother, the Nord Stream 2, was suspended “sine die” by Germany as part of the sanctions imposed on the Kremlin for the invasion of Ukraine
The chairman of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, fears the total interruption of gas supplies to Germany by Russia and has called on the people of this country to save energy at all costs. It all depends on whether the forthcoming regular review of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline “turns into a long-term evaluation for political reasons”, Müller explains this Saturday in the Funke group’s dailies. This gas pipeline, which connects Russia directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea, supplies the Germanic country with most of the gas it consumes. The maintenance assessment is scheduled for 11 July. The inauguration of its twin brother, the Nord Stream 2, was suspended “sine die” by Germany as part of the sanctions imposed on the Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine. If the flow of Russian gas is “deliberately permanently reduced, we will have to talk seriously about austerity measures,” warns the head of the Federal Network Agency, which emphasizes that the 12 weeks left before the stoves in this country should be used to for that opportunity.
Müller also calls on all homeowners to check their gas boilers and radiators as soon as possible, so that they work with maximum efficiency. “Maintenance can reduce gas consumption by 10 to 15%,” the senior official says, demanding that these assessments be “done now, not in the fall.” To prevent specialist operators from being overwhelmed by demand, ask them to focus solely on heating and hot water systems. It also asks families to consider “whether in winter all rooms should be heated to the usual temperature or whether lower temperatures can be tolerated in some rooms.” In the event that Russia completely cuts off gas supplies to Germany, Müller says private homes, hospitals and homes for the elderly and chronically ill will be given priority in supply.
“I can assure you that we will do everything we can to ensure that private households do not run out of gas,” said Müller, noting that “we have learned from the corona crisis that promises cannot be made if we are not completely sure we can keep them.” The Federal Network Agency “does not envisage a scenario where Germany is completely out of gas”, he emphasizes, while stressing that, in the event that supply to industrial companies has to be interrupted, “we will focus on business damage , damage to the national economy , social consequences and the technical needs of the gas network. The Economy Minister and the Chancellor, the green Robert Habeck, spoke openly last Thursday that he fears that Russia will completely interrupt the gas supply to this country. From July 11, the date of the regular review, there is the threat of “a total blockade of Nord Stream 1,” Habeck said at the time, warning it would cause serious problems in the winter.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian government has noted that it may significantly increase its gas supply to Germany in the near future, although it will not happen before 2023 or 2024. “Companies are currently checking projects to increase their gas supply by then,” Terje Aasland, Norwegian oil and energy minister, told German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche. “The crisis in the energy sector will have long-term effects. We need to focus on investing in new gas production capacities,” adds Aasland, noting that his country has never exported as much gas as it does now and assuring that “we support our European friends to become independent from gas and oil as soon as possible. ».
Meanwhile, the German federal government advises companies to purchase emergency power generators as a precaution in case the gas shortage worsens. The generators would face possible power cuts, emphasizes a response from the Berlin executive to a parliamentary question unveiled this Saturday by the Bild tabloid. “It is advisable that those responsible for critical infrastructures be equipped with emergency electrical generators,” the official note advises, as in many cases no interruptions will be ordered in an emergency. “In the event of a gas or electricity shortage, the Federal Network Agency assumes the role of directing distribution at the federal level. In close cooperation with the network companies, it is the agency that decides on the distribution of gas or electricity,” emphasizes the letter advising that these emergency generators achieve a minimum operation of 72 hours.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
