Germany on track to fill gas storage facilities 'to 85 percent'
Despite a sharp reduction in Russian gas deliveries, Germany looks set to meet its gas reserves target for October - but may still fall short of reserves in winter.
As fears escalate that Russia could turn off the gas taps in winter in retaliation for Europe's support of Ukraine, Germany is aiming to fill its gas storage facilities to at least 85 percent by October 1st.
In spite of an 80 percent reduction in gas deliveries flowing through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia, it appears the country is on track to meet its October targets.
According to the latest estimates, Germany's gas storage facilities were filled to around 80.14 percent on Sunday. However, official records are usually a few days out of date, meaning that the actual gas levels could be higher.
However, in spite of the positive news in autumn, experts believe Germany could still fall short of its mandate gas levels by winter.
READ ALSO: Germany’s Scholz looks to Canada as energy supplier
Speaking to DPA on Tuesday, Torsten Frank, the managing director of Trading Hub Europe (THE), said he feared that Germany would not be able to fill all its gas storage facilities to the levels required in November.
"We will be able to fill many storage facilities to 95 percent by November, but not all of them," he told the Rheinische Post on Tuesday.
That means that certain regions could find themselves running short of energy supplies.
However, the potential shortfalls are unlikely to affect the entire country and are also unlikely to have a direct impact on private households, Frank said. "We are making good progress with storing and saving. I am very confident that private households will not have to freeze this winter."
Last week, Russia announced that it would interrupt gas deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline for three days at the end of August.
From August 31st to September 2nd, gas supplies from Russia to Germany will be cut off due to maintenance work, the Kremlin-owned energy company Gazprom announced. After that, 33 million cubic metres of natural gas should be delivered daily again.
This corresponds to the 20 percent of the maximum capacity of the pipeline.
Russia has repeatedly claimed that the cut in deliveries is due to a missing energy turbine that is required for repairs to the pipeline.
However, both Germany and the EU say Russia has been blocking the delivery of the turbine by refusing to fill in customs information.
"There is no reason why this delivery cannot happen," Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in August. Russia's decision to dock gas supplies to Europe was political rather than technical, he added.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are Germany’s alternatives to Russian gas?
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As fears escalate that Russia could turn off the gas taps in winter in retaliation for Europe's support of Ukraine, Germany is aiming to fill its gas storage facilities to at least 85 percent by October 1st.
In spite of an 80 percent reduction in gas deliveries flowing through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia, it appears the country is on track to meet its October targets.
According to the latest estimates, Germany's gas storage facilities were filled to around 80.14 percent on Sunday. However, official records are usually a few days out of date, meaning that the actual gas levels could be higher.
However, in spite of the positive news in autumn, experts believe Germany could still fall short of its mandate gas levels by winter.
READ ALSO: Germany’s Scholz looks to Canada as energy supplier
Speaking to DPA on Tuesday, Torsten Frank, the managing director of Trading Hub Europe (THE), said he feared that Germany would not be able to fill all its gas storage facilities to the levels required in November.
"We will be able to fill many storage facilities to 95 percent by November, but not all of them," he told the Rheinische Post on Tuesday.
That means that certain regions could find themselves running short of energy supplies.
However, the potential shortfalls are unlikely to affect the entire country and are also unlikely to have a direct impact on private households, Frank said. "We are making good progress with storing and saving. I am very confident that private households will not have to freeze this winter."
Last week, Russia announced that it would interrupt gas deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline for three days at the end of August.
From August 31st to September 2nd, gas supplies from Russia to Germany will be cut off due to maintenance work, the Kremlin-owned energy company Gazprom announced. After that, 33 million cubic metres of natural gas should be delivered daily again.
This corresponds to the 20 percent of the maximum capacity of the pipeline.
Russia has repeatedly claimed that the cut in deliveries is due to a missing energy turbine that is required for repairs to the pipeline.
However, both Germany and the EU say Russia has been blocking the delivery of the turbine by refusing to fill in customs information.
"There is no reason why this delivery cannot happen," Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in August. Russia's decision to dock gas supplies to Europe was political rather than technical, he added.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are Germany’s alternatives to Russian gas?
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