will propose a mandatory reduction in electricity consumption

by time news

Brussel·lesFor days, the European Union and the member states have been discussing what measures should be included in the energy shock plan that they want to approve urgently before the cold arrives in Europe. Finally, last Friday, in the extraordinary council of the Ministers of Energy of the Twenty-seven, a minimum agreement was signed and, among others, the need to reduce the demand for electricity consumption in a coordinated way was agreed . Although this measure, as indicated last week by diplomatic sources, some states did not like it much if it was voluntary compliance, today an internal draft of the European Commission was leaked to Bloomberg which indicates that Brussels will propose to the states that it is mandatory.

The community executive, in addition to asking for a general decrease in energy expenditure, wants it to be reduced during peak hours. Each country will have to classify as a moments pic three or four hours a day during the week when there is a lot of demand for electricity or an electrical mix where the cheapest energies, such as renewables or nuclear, are not enough. In other words, what the technicians in Brussels call inframarginals.

As explained a few days ago by the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the idea is to reduce the demand for electricity at times when a lot of it is consumed because that is when the energy obtained through of gas and, therefore, increases the total price of the electricity bill. For this same reason, then, the community executive also wants to include as a moments pic the hours when renewables cannot be used much. However, for now he has not specified what percentage of decrease he wants to propose. It had been considered, according to technical drafts leaked to the media, 5% at peak times and between 10% and 15% in general with respect to consumption five years ago.

As for the overall reduction in electricity spending, the argument is that it will make it easier for the European Union to have to buy less Russian gas and make it more energy independent from the Kremlin, which has already threatened more than once to shut down definitely tap. In addition, the less need for gas and demand, the cheaper the electricity bill.

More negotiations

However, it must be remembered that the legislative proposal that the Commission is expected to present tomorrow will not be final. It will need to be discussed and approved by the member states, that is, the European Council. It should also pass the filter of the European Parliament, but everything points to Brussels trying to find a legal way to skip this last procedure to approve the energy shock plan as soon as possible. On the other hand, tomorrow or Wednesday, which is when Von der Leyen will deliver the State of the Union speech in Strasbourg, more details will surely be known about the measures proposed by Brussels to deal with the energy crisis.

You may also like

Leave a Comment