Gas supply: Gas storage operators warn of bottlenecks in extreme cold due to low filling levels

Low gas storage levels could become a problem for Germany in a cold winter. The industry association INES is calling for government measures.

Natural gas storage in Cologne: An industry association warns that extreme temperatures could result in a bottleneck due to low storage levels. Photo: IMAGO/Panama Pictures

Berlin. The industry association Initiative Energiespeicher (INES) warns of supply bottlenecks in an extremely cold winter in view of the low gas storage levels.

According to the association's new model calculations, up to 6.6 terawatt hours of natural gas could be missing per month in January, February and March 2027, INES announced on Tuesday. This corresponds roughly to the gas consumption of one and a half winter days in Germany.

On individual days in January, the supply gap could even reach 1.7 terawatt hours in extreme temperatures, which would be around 40 percent of the average daily consumption in January 2026. The association is assuming an extremely cold winter like in 2010. According to INES, such a temperature trend is less likely. However, at normal or mild temperatures, the gas supply is guaranteed.

The calculations already take into account additional gas imports from neighboring European countries and full utilization of the bookable LNG terminal capacities. “Low storage levels represent a significant risk to security of supply,” explained INES Managing Director Sebastian Heinermann. In addition to a state gas reserve, the association is calling for financial incentives for storage or an obligation to use storage.

Security of supply

The aim is to quickly increase the “historically low” filling level of the gas storage facilities

INES represents 17 gas and hydrogen storage operators, including SEFE, Uniper and VNG. Its members represent more than 90 percent of Germany's gas storage capacities. They also have an economic interest in greater use of storage, as they earn money from marketing their capacities.

The German gas storage facilities were only around 61 percent full as of November 1st. Since then they have emptied out somewhat. According to data from the European gas infrastructure association GIE, they were recently around 59 percent full.

However, the Federal Network Agency considers the risk of a strained gas supply to be low. Thanks to additional import options, Germany is no longer necessarily dependent on achieving the storage targets.

More: Berlin talks up the empty gas storage facilities

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