Germany says full gas reserves enough for only 2.5 months without Russian supply

Germany could manage only for two and a half months without Russian energy imports if storage facilities are “mamatically 100% full”, predicted country’s energy official Klaus Müller who is also he of Federal Network Agency, Bundesnetzagentur. In an interview with German ZDF channel on Thursday, Müller also warned that consumers in Germany might see a two or three-fold increase in ir gas bills especially as country faces prospect of Russian gas supplies being stopped. 

"If storage facilities in Germany were mamatically 100% full... we could do without Russian gas completely... for just about two-and-a-half months and n storage tanks will be empty," he told Maybrit Illner program Thursday on German ZDF channel.

German energy official also suggested that European nation needs to save gas and find new suppliers which would allow suppliers to pass on greater costs to consumers. However, it can take place only with official approval of Bundesnetzagentur, noted Müller. He also said that if Germany entered third phase of plan, it would have “terrible and drastic” consequences for nation’s gas industry. Under mentioned phase, as per DW report, Bundesnetzagentur would ration gas and prioritise private households over energy firms.  

Germany's economy minister says some industries might be shut down

Moreover, apart from Müller’s warnings on Thursday, German Economy Minister and Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck told German magazine, Der Spiegel, on Friday that some of industries would have to be shut down if gas supplies deplete by winter. He said, “Companies would have to stop production, lay off ir workers, supply chains would collapse, people would go into debt to pay ir heating bills, and people would become poorer”.

Noting that Russian President Vlimir Putin’s aim is to divide Germany, Habeck called for creating " best breeding ground for populism, which is intended to undermine our liberal democracy from within." It is to note that Germany is heavily dependent on Russian gas and even though all EU member states have imposed an embargo on Russian oil over war in Ukraine, Berlin has reportedly shied away from implementing a ban on Russian imports.

Image: AP