The critical point in time is the planned restart of the pipeline, which is scheduled for July 21. “No one can predict today whether deliveries will be fully resumed afterwards. July 21 is therefore a critical date for gas supplies throughout Europe,” emphasized Gewessler.
Nord Stream 1 only plays a minor role for direct gas deliveries to Austria. “Austria is mainly supplied via the pipeline system via Ukraine. Nevertheless, due to the complete loss of supply via Nord Stream 1 due to maintenance work, a significant drop in deliveries is also expected in Austria,” says the broadcast.
German Economics Minister Robert Habeck warned of a “nightmare scenario” on Sunday. The German government is trying to prepare for the worst with its measures in order to avoid exactly this, he said on Deutschlandfunk on Sunday with a view to the consequences of a gas failure. In view of the sharp rise in gas prices, he also warned that there would be too much social division “without further political support”. Consumer Protection Minister Steffi Lemke (like Habeck from the Greens) called for a moratorium on impending gas and electricity cuts in the case of unpaid bills in the “Bild am Sonntag”.
Habeck referred to the necessary mix of filling the gas storage tanks, rescuing the gas suppliers and savings for citizens, companies or in administration buildings. He hinted on Deutschlandfunk that the 15 billion euros provided by the government for the purchase of more expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) might not be enough to fill Germany’s gas storage facilities to the hoped-for 80 percent in October. The government may have to provide more money.
He criticized the fact that some gas suppliers are even selling gas from their storage facilities again, which is legal. “The problem is that the large storage facilities, which are partly owned by Gazprom and now held in trust, … are comparatively empty. So, the 63 percent average doesn’t tell us the whole story,” he said, looking at the current level.
Habeck also criticized the European guidelines that, in the event of a gas shortage, savings should first be made by companies and finally by consumers. “I find that unsatisfactory. But it is European law and it has not yet been changed,” he said.
There is positive news for Germany in another area of the gas crisis: the German federal government today welcomed Canada’s export license for repaired turbines for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. On Saturday, the Canadian government issued a temporary special permit for the export, which was necessary because of the sanctions against Russia as a result of the Ukraine war. The repaired turbines can therefore be delivered to Germany.