Status: 07/17/2022 02:13 am
Netzagentur boss Müller sees indications that gas prices will not continue to rise and warns against panic. Justice Minister Buschmann speaks out against a moratorium on electricity and gas cuts.
The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, considers it possible that gas prices have currently reached a plateau. “There was no significant price jump this week, even though Nord Stream 1 was shut down,” said Müller of the “Bild am Sonntag”.
“This could mean that the markets have already priced in the loss of Russian gas supplies and that we have reached a gas price plateau.” It has not yet been decided whether these higher prices, “which we owe to the Russian gas reduction”, will have to be passed on in the short term.
Müller warns against panic
With a view to the supply situation in Germany, the Federal Network Agency President called for prudence. “We mustn’t panic,” said Müller. With a view to reports that heated common rooms for people in need are planned in some German municipalities, he added: “In the plans of the Federal Network Agency, heated halls for people in need play no role.”
Since June, the Russian energy company Gazprom has significantly reduced gas deliveries through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in the Baltic Sea, citing a missing turbine that was being serviced in Canada. Because of the sanctions imposed as a result of the Ukraine war, Canada initially refused to return the turbine to Russia – but then decided to hand the unit over to Germany instead.
Since Monday, Nord Stream 1 has stopped supplying gas due to maintenance work. The work is expected to last until July 21. Several Western politicians have expressed skepticism as to whether Russia will subsequently supply gas again.
appeal for solidarity
Müller said that in the event of a gas shortage, Germany must show solidarity with its neighboring countries and, in an emergency, also provide gas from German storage facilities to supply critical infrastructure in other countries.
“We have a duty of solidarity to our neighbors and we would do well not to hurt them,” he said. “Just as we are currently benefiting from the liquid gas ports in Belgium and the Netherlands, we also have a duty to help our neighboring countries in an emergency to supply private households or hospitals.”
Minister of Justice against energy lockdown moratorium
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann criticized Consumer Protection Minister Steffi Lemke’s push for a moratorium on electricity and gas cuts: “I have doubts as to whether a blanket moratorium on electricity and gas cuts is a good idea,” the FDP politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “Because such a moratorium will also benefit people who can actually bear the costs.”
“Unless you set up very complicated rules on how to distinguish between those who want to pay but can’t and those who can but don’t want to.” These rules are likely to lead to much controversy and many court hearings, he warned.
In the event of a further escalation of the energy crisis, the Greens politician Lemke had suggested protecting citizens from electricity and gas blockages in the event of late payments. “In the event of an absolute crisis, the Federal Network Agency may allow energy companies to pass on increased prices to consumers despite a price guarantee,” said the consumer protection minister. In such a crisis situation, nobody should have their electricity or gas cut off because they are in arrears with a bill.