Germany The German government supports the possibility of taking over energy companies in an emergency

German the government on Monday passed an amendment to the law that will allow the government to take over energy companies in an emergency.

According to the news agency Reuters, this is a government emergency plan to secure gas supplies in the event that energy imports from Russia suddenly cease.

Relations between Germany and Russia have deteriorated since Russia invaded Ukraine and the West imposed economic sanctions on Russia. Germany is heavily dependent on Russian energy.

The possibility of nationalizing energy companies is the first step in the German government’s emergency plan. The government is also considering enabling energy regulation. In energy regulation, priority would be given to households and hospitals, among others.

German Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck said in a statement that Germany must be prepared if the situation deteriorates.

The amendment gives the government the power to transfer energy companies to agent management if energy security is threatened.

The German authorities have already used similar means to take over Gazprom Germany. The German authorities took over the energy trading, storage and transmission business, which was abandoned by Russian Gazprom, in early April.

The amendment still requires the approval of the German Bundestag.