A gas stove is seen in Boroughbridge, northern England.
Nigel Roddis | Reuters
Germany has issued an “early warning” that it could soon face a natural gas emergency as Europe’s largest economy prepares for the risk of a complete disruption in supply from Russia.
The Kremlin has repeatedly demanded that so-called “unfriendly” countries pay in rubles for gas, referring to those behind heavy economic sanctions aimed at isolating Russia for its unprovoked attack. this country in Ukraine.
The G-7, inflicted on Germany, rejected that request.
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Wednesday said the “early warning” measure was the first of three phases and did not yet include state intervention over gas supplies.
However, Habeck urged consumers and companies to reduce consumption, saying at a press conference that “every kilowatt hour counts,” according to Reuters.
Habeck said German supply is for the time being protected, before adding that the government is closely monitoring supply flows with market operators.
“However, we must strengthen our precautionary measures to prepare for an escalation from the Russian side,” Habeck said, according to a translation. “With the declaration of the early warning level, a crisis team was convened.”
Klaus Mueller, head of Germany’s network regulator Bundesnetzagentur, said via Twitter that the early warning would help Germany and the European Union avoid a decline in gas supplies. Mueller urged consumers and industry leaders to prepare for “all scenarios.”
Habeck said Germany, which imported about 55% of its gas supplies from Russia last year, will not be able to achieve full independence from Moscow before mid-2024.
Meanwhile, the European Union receives about 40% of its gas through Russian pipelines, and some of it runs through Ukraine.
