Gas supply: Federal government wants to create gas reserves for supply crises - Reiche is sticking to the levy
Costs of up to 1.81 billion euros are to be passed on to gas customers via a levy
Quick Look
- The federal government has decided to introduce a strategic gas reserve of 24 terawatt hours to secure supplies in the event of crises such as sabotage.
- The construction will cost up to 1.81 billion euros and will be financed through a levy for gas customers.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The federal government is planning measures to secure gas supplies in the event of crises and acts of sabotage.
The reserve is intended to be used in the event of sabotage or rare major events. The construction is expected to cost more than 1.2 billion euros - and will also be appreciated by gas customers.
Katherina Reiche (CDU): “The gas reserve serves to secure the gas supply if there would otherwise be a threat or imminent gas shortage.” Photo: Fabian Sommer/dpa
Berlin. The federal government has initiated the introduction of a strategic gas reserve. With a volume of 24 terawatt hours, it is intended to secure supplies in the event of serious crises, the Federal Ministry of Economics of Katherina Reiche (CDU) announced on Wednesday. The reserve corresponds to around ten percent of Germany's storage capacity, explained a spokesman.
It should be used in the event of sabotage or rare major events, and only after the gas emergency has been declared. The construction should take place as quickly as possible, but could be extended to up to three years if necessary. “The gas reserve serves to secure the gas supply if there would otherwise be a threat or imminent gas shortage,” writes Reiche, according to a report by the Reuters news agency.
The one-off costs for construction are estimated at 1.26 to 1.81 billion euros. There are also ongoing costs. The reserve is to be financed through a levy that can be passed on to gas customers.
That’s how much more expensive it could be for consumers
For a typical household in a single-family home, additional costs of between 5.80 and 9.40 euros are estimated annually. According to the ministry, this could make gas more expensive by 0.03 to 0.05 cents per kilowatt hour. This corresponds to an increase in gas procurement costs for households of 0.3 to 0.5 percent. A loan from the state development bank KfW is intended to provide interim financing for the initial costs.
According to the spokesman, the federal government also wants to examine whether particularly energy-intensive companies can receive targeted relief. Additional obligations for gas suppliers to secure winter supplies are also being prepared. The spokesman confirmed a Reuters report that the ministry's key points provide for additional measures to secure gas supplies.
The development is expected to last up to three years. Reiche is pushing for the law to come into force by February 2027 so that sufficient storage capacity can be secured for the winter of 2027/28. The federal government also wants to examine whether particularly energy-intensive companies can be specifically relieved of their costs. The European Commission should be involved for this purpose.
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What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The law will come into force until February 2027
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- How are energy-intensive companies specifically relieved?
- When exactly does the law come into force?
