According to estimates by the Federal Network Agency, the monthly advance payments for consumers of natural gas will at least triple in the coming year. “For those who are now getting their heating bills, the deductions are already doubling – and the consequences of the Ukraine war are not even taken into account,” said the president of the authority, Klaus Müller, the editorial network Germany. From 2023 onwards, gas customers would have to be prepared for even higher discounts.
The fact that customers who currently pay 1,500 euros a year for gas will in future pay 4,500 euros and more is “absolutely realistic,” said Müller. Some of the prices on the stock exchanges have increased sevenfold. “Not all of this reaches consumers immediately and not in full, but at some point it has to be paid for. And that’s why it makes so much sense to save more now,” Müller continued.
When asked what he thought of passing on the higher procurement costs of the gas traders to consumers with a levy, the head of the network agency said: “This is a political decision that has to be weighed very carefully.” You could support the companies with billions. The other variant would be “to announce the prices and then to help those who can no longer afford them”.
Since Monday, Russia has stopped supplying gas through the important Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline due to maintenance work. The work is expected to last until July 21. It is unclear whether gas will flow again afterwards.
Klaus Müller, President of the Federal Network Agency, during his visit to the Astora gas storage facility in Rehden.
(Photo: Mohssen Assanimoghaddam/dpa)
“Even in the worst scenario, Germany will continue to get gas from Norway and from terminals in Belgium or Holland, soon also directly from terminals on the German coast,” said Müller. He thinks it is “not very likely” that no more gas will reach people’s homes.
He also countered fears that private households could be supplied with lower priority in the event of a gas shortage. “The German and European legal situation provides for private households to be protected to the end,” he affirmed.
Employer president in the SZ interview: “We are facing the biggest crisis the country has ever had”
Verdi boss Frank Werneke also insists on prioritizing private households and corresponding regulations. In an interview with the editorial network Germany, he criticized Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), who does not want to automatically disadvantage the industry in the event of a permanent shortage of gas. “Anyone who shakes it, as the Federal Minister of Economics is currently doing, is creating a political source of fire,” said Werneke.
Employer President Rainer Dulger is very concerned about the German economy because of the crisis. “It looks as if Russia is severely short of gas or will not deliver anything at all in the long run,” Dulger said Süddeutsche Zeitung. “We are facing the biggest crisis the country has ever had.” A gas supply stop would pose serious problems for the German economy. This is not limited to industry, but affects everyone. “We have to be honest and say: We’re going to lose the prosperity that we’ve had for years,” said Dulger.