The German government announced the alert level for the gas emergency plan, and the German Economy Ministry stated that “the security of supply is currently guaranteed, but the situation is volatile.”
The emergency plan includes three levels, and the alert level that has been announced is the second level in this plan, and the emergency level will be the third level.
Russia was the source of 65 percent of the natural gas imported by Germany until earlier this year, but that fell to less than 40 percent, and during the past year, about 53 percent of coal was imported from Russia, but this is scheduled to be reduced to zero with the start of The ban imposed by the European Union on coal imports from Russia will take effect in August.
In order to avoid an energy crisis in the country, the government is working to fill the country’s strategic gas reserves, which have now reached 60 percent, with 80 percent reaching by October, with the aim of reaching the total capacity before winter arrives.
Russia’s energy giant Gazprom cut off supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that runs under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, the main natural gas pipeline in Europe.
The company said it had to cut inflows; Because Western sanctions have led to the seizure of parts and equipment used in maintenance, which European governments do not take into account, and describe gas cuts as political.
Reduce showering and heating
While Finance Minister Christian Lindner warned that Germany was on the verge of a “very serious economic crisis”, stressing that the government needed to explore all means to bridge the gaps in energy supplies, the Minister of Economy’s statements came even more strange when he called on Germans to reduce shower time to rationalize consumption. energy.
Robert Habeck said that he has been shortening the duration of his showers to save energy since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, adding to the German magazine “Der Spiegel” when I asked him how to save energy in daily life: “I adhere to what my ministry recommends, and I clearly shortened my shower period, and in general my shower time did not exceed Five minutes of my life, I even take a quick shower.”
Habek had recently called several times to save energy, due to the decline in gas supplies from Russia, and also launched a coin with this goal, in addition, he indicated that he comes home late and gets up at six in the morning and leaves work at seven.
“In winter, heating is not needed at all. This is really something else for people who work remotely, retirees with small pensions and families.”
When asked how long showers take, Habeck said: “A colleague from the Netherlands recently said proudly that they wanted to use a campaign to cut the average shower time from 10 to 5 minutes.”
The minister concluded his speech by saying, “I should have laughed at this. I have never showered for five minutes in my life. I shower quickly.”
The issue of dependence on Russian gas was one of the topics of the European summit in Brussels, Friday, and when asked whether reducing personal bathing time was a logical recommendation for all Germans, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after the summit: “I think the minister only wanted to speak for himself on this issue, not Telling others what to do.
Germany is in trouble
Keith Boyfield, a fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs in London, said that “Europe in general and Germany in particular is facing an inevitable energy crisis and Russia will show its muscles.”
Boefeld added, in statements to “Sky News Arabia”, that “Germany does not have huge reserves of stored gas, so it is in trouble. You cannot build a hydroelectric dam overnight, nor a nuclear power plant.”
He pointed out that Germany is going through a catastrophe and is threatened by the specter of darkness, and there will be many rationalization measures in order to reduce the use of gas, “prepare to see more energy-saving kitchens as well,” noting that “one of the ways to rescue is the financial renewal of the pipeline extending from the Croatian coast to central Europe.” (Hungary)”.
In turn, Amid Shoukry, senior foreign policy and energy security adviser at the Washington-based Gulf States Analytics Center, said: “Given Germany’s over-reliance on Russian natural gas, it is expected that energy security and Germany’s economy will face many challenges in the coming months.”
Shoukry added to “Sky News Arabia”: “Saving on natural gas consumption and reducing the work of industrial homes in Germany can help solve the energy crisis to some extent, but it is generally not possible to improve the negative impact of the energy crisis on the German economy.”
On the reasons for the emergency plan, he said that it was caused by “the reduction of Russian gas supplies from June 14 due to the high prices of gas and energy in the market, and if the percentage remains, the goal of storing at 90 percent will not be possible until December without additional measures.”
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