EU warns of very high energy prices in winter - Federal government rules out gas shortage

The European Union has warned of very high energy prices with a view to the coming winter. "There is no doubt that we are heading into a winter that will be challenging," said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jörgensen after a meeting of the energy ministers of the member states in Dublin. “We don’t expect any problems with security of supply, but we do expect very high prices.” The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol, who appeared before the press together with Jörgensen, also spoke of a "very difficult winter."

Energy prices have recently risen significantly again as a result of the Iran war. In this context, the federal government has decided to reintroduce a fuel discount from October. A fuel price cap should also be introduced by January 1st at the latest. The federal government is also considering the possibility of a direct payment to compensate for high energy prices to households with low incomes.

The federal government does not expect a gas shortage

The federal government also recently reiterated that security of supply is guaranteed - despite low gas storage levels. The Federal Ministry of Economics recently announced that a gas shortage is not expected in winter. However, the situation is more tense than in the past two winters. “If key risk factors for security of supply become significantly worse, the state can and will react,” said Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU).

Reiche himself said in the Bundestag: "We have taken precautions for every scenario." The state should not itself become a price driver, "otherwise the result will be high energy prices and our economy will be burdened even more." In 2022, gas was purchased through government intervention after gas deliveries from Russia failed to materialize due to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Reiche currently rejects such a measure.