Energy: Federal Network Agency sees low risk of a gas shortage

Berlin. According to the Federal Network Agency, Germany has a secure supply of natural gas even without achieving the statutory gas storage targets. “It is no longer essential for a secure gas supply that the storage targets are achieved,” head of the authority Klaus Müller told the Reuters news agency on Sunday.

Germany now has liquid gas terminals through which gas can be imported. At the same time, he warned of higher costs: “But gas has become significantly more expensive, and unfortunately all customers have to be aware of that.”

The background to Müller's statements is that the gas storage facilities in Germany may have missed the legally required fill level mark. According to legal requirements, most German gas storage facilities must be at least 80 percent full by November 1st. A lower requirement of 45 percent applies to six memories. This results in a nationwide target value of around 70 percent. On Saturday the level was just over 61 percent.

According to Müller, storage is still important, “but its importance has changed.” The interaction between pipeline and liquid gas imports, storage, infrastructure and demand is crucial for supply. "The gas supply is stable. The Federal Network Agency currently assesses the risk of a strained gas supply as low."

The lobby association Initiative Energiespeicher (INES), however, warned of risks from the low filling levels. According to its model calculations, an extremely cold winter could lead to significant supply bottlenecks, the association explained on Sunday. INES represents gas and hydrogen storage operators, including Sefe, Uniper and VNG.

Its members represent more than 90 percent of German storage capacities. The association therefore also has an economic interest in greater use of storage: the operators earn money from marketing their capacities and benefit from the corresponding demand. INES is therefore calling for, among other things, subsidized loans from the state in order to make storage more economically attractive.