Germany Faces Winter Gas Shortage Risk as Storage Lags
INES said underground storage was 53% full on Sept. 1 and warned a severe cold snap could leave Germany short by as much as 25%.
- On Tuesday, Germany's gas storage industry association INES warned that the country faces potential gas shortages this winter if temperatures drop significantly, even if storage sites reach their 77% capacity target by November 1.
- Underground gas caverns in Germany were 53% full as of September 1, the lowest level in 15 years, amid a lack of economic incentive to build supply over the summer. Storage economics have deteriorated as price spreads narrowed between seasons, INES said.
- INES Managing Director Sebastian Heinermann warned that Germany currently injects around 900 GWh daily into storage, falling short of the 1 TWh per day required to reach the 77% target; at current rates, storage will only reach 63% by November 1.
- "However, a filling level of around 77% is insufficient in extremely cold temperatures," Heinermann said, with individual January days potentially facing supply shortfalls of as much as 25% under such scenarios.
- To accelerate injections, INES proposed last week abolishing certain charges and offering subsidised government loans to ensure adequate filling levels this winter. Germany's position as the EU's largest gas consumer and storage holder underscores the stakes for European energy security.
24 Articles
24 Articles
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In the case of severe winter, Germany's gas storage facilities could be completely empty by the end of January, resulting in fuel shortages for both industry and the national population, as reported by the German media with reference to the INES gas storage association.
Germany's gas reserves could run low if the coming winter is unusually cold, according to a report from the German gas storage operators' association INES on Tuesday. The association expects Germany's gas storage facilities to be at best 77 percent full by early November. They were 53 percent full at the beginning of September, the lowest level recorded for this period since the start of stock monitoring 15 years ago, INES said.
The Iran war and an unfavorable price development on the gas market have an impact on energy supply in Germany. Currently, the gas storage systems are only over half full. The Federal Ministry of Economics does not want to do anything - despite filling levels. Dealers could take advantage of these.
Soon the heating season begins. But the gas storage tanks are only moderately filled. The gas storage association INES warns of possible bottlenecks, but also pursues its own interests.
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