The EU Commission President von der Leyen wants to prepare for a complete interruption of Russian gas supplies. In addition, all states should save gas.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen believes that a complete stop in gas supplies from Russia to the European Union is likely. “We have to prepare for a possible complete disruption of Russian gas supplies,” said the German politician in Brussels on Wednesday. “This is a likely scenario.” It has been seen in the past that Russia is trying to put pressure on the EU by reducing gas supplies. According to von der Leyen, a complete stop in deliveries would hit all EU countries hard. At the same time, she stressed that the EU could overcome the difficulties if it acted as one.
This also includes a proposal that the Commission submitted on Wednesday: In the event of a gas emergency, EU countries should be able to be forced to save gas, according to the Commission’s will. Specifically, the Brussels authority proposed on Wednesday that binding reduction targets should be possible if not enough is saved voluntarily. First of all, the EU countries should voluntarily do everything they can to reduce their consumption in the coming months by 15 percent compared to the average of the past five years.
The EU states still have to approve the project. A prerequisite for the introduction of mandatory savings targets would be that at least three states or the EU Commission fear acute emergency situations due to an undersupply of gas. It was initially unclear whether and to what extent Germany would have to further reduce its gas consumption in order to achieve the 15 percent target.
German gas consumption has fallen
In the first five months of the year, gas consumption in Germany was a good 14 percent lower than in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. “Even adjusted for temperature effects, gas consumption in the current year was 6.4 percent below the value for the same period last year,” it said, referring to figures from the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries.
In May it was even 34.7 percent – adjusted 10.8 percent – less than in the same period last year. The Ministry announced that electricity generation from gas was also declining significantly. In the first five months, this was a good 14 percent lower than in the same period last year.
Concern about deliveries through Nord Stream 1
Recently there have been concerns that Russia may not turn on the gas tap on the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline after a scheduled maintenance that could be completed this week. The federal government, on the other hand, said on Wednesday that it expects full gas deliveries again after the end of the maintenance work, after all Gazprom is also contractually obliged to do so.
The government declined to comment on statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He had also commented on the gas deliveries on Wednesday night. “Gazprom fulfills its obligations, has always fulfilled them and is willing to continue to fulfill all its obligations,” he was quoted as saying by the Russian agency Interfax.
Putin brings Nord Stream 2 up for discussion
At the same time, Putin warned against reducing the delivery volume. If Russia does not get back a turbine repaired in Canada, the throughput capacity threatens to fall again significantly at the end of July. The Federal Ministry of Economics still does not comment on where the turbine is located and referred to safety issues. A spokeswoman confirmed that it was a pretext on the part of the Russian side and that the deployment of a replacement turbine was intended for September. Nevertheless, everything is being done to take away the pretext from the Russian side.
The ministry also confirmed that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was not certified and therefore not legally permitted. Putin had brought the largely parallel line back into play.
Putin threatens to cut gas from Nord Stream 1
EU prepares for gas emergency
