Federal Network Agency boss Klaus Müller believes the gas supply next winter will be more secure than in 2022. The German storage facilities are very well filled and the industry has also achieved a lot of savings.
The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, is confident about the gas supply in the coming winter. He sees Germany in a more favorable situation than a year ago. “We are already optimistic and we are better prepared than last year,” said Müller to the “Editorial Network Germany”. This is because “the industry constantly uses significantly less gas” and “we are also better at storing and diversifying procurement.”
Industry saves 20 percent on gas
For these reasons, Germany could cope with a “normal and also a slightly cold winter while using gas sparingly,” Müller told the newspaper. According to him, the industry has saved around 20 percent, which can be attributed to technical innovations and modernizations as well as energy efficiency measures.
There are also companies that have implemented a “fuel change” and replaced gas with oil. This doesn’t make ecological sense, but it helps save gas. “However, it is also a bitter reality that there are companies that cannot maintain competitive production with current gas prices,” the economist said.
In addition, private households also used their heating more consciously. Nevertheless, he called for people to continue using energy sparingly. The following also applies to the coming winter: “Nobody should freeze,” says Müller. But at the same time it remains important that people think carefully about how much consumption they can save.
Gas shortage exercise planned
In addition to the savings, Müller says the supply also improved – for example through more LNG capacities in Germany and Europe. “If a winter is not as lukewarm as the last, or if Putin decides to cut gas deliveries to southeastern Europe via Ukraine, then we have reserves to ensure supplies through the additional LNG terminals,” explained the former Consumer advocates. The new terminals are “like insurance to guarantee our gas supply.”
Federal Network Agency boss Klaus Müller believes the gas supply is secure – but still calls for thrift.
According to the Federal Network Agency, storage levels in Germany are currently over 94 percent. In order to secure the gas supply for the coming winter, a filling level of 85 percent should be reached by October 1st. This storage goal was already achieved in July.
Nevertheless, the Bonn authority today wants to test the interaction in the event of a gas shortage together with the federal government, the states and various market players. “The corresponding EU regulation stipulates that gas purchases will first be reduced for industrial companies that produce non-essential goods,” Müller told “RND”. This will be played out in order to be able to “act calmly but decisively” in the worst case scenario.
Demands for longer ones Energy price brakes
Gas prices for consumers have fallen sharply in recent months. The comparison portal Check24 recently announced that gas prices for new customers are currently lower than they have been since the end of 2021. The comparison portal therefore advises households to switch providers now. “This means you can save over 1,000 euros on gas.” The prices of almost all alternative providers are so low that the gas price brake is no longer effective.
Nevertheless, before winter there are increasing calls to extend the energy price brakes. The economist Veronika Grimm warned yesterday of a renewed explosion in energy prices and advocated a continuation until the end of April 2024. “The gas price brake is an important instrument to protect people from the hardships of the energy crisis,” said Grimm to the “Rheinische Post”. If countries still supplied by Russia were cut off, prices could rise sharply again, she warned.
The German Federation of Trade Unions also spoke out in favor of maintaining and extending the electricity price cap beyond the end of the year. The Federal Association of Consumer Organizations called for all price controls to be extended until Easter 2024. “In this way, private households would be protected from further price increases for electricity, gas and district heating in the coming winter,” said chairwoman Ramona Pop.