Germans are worried about an energy blackout in the future due to the country’s plan to cut consumption falling significantly short amid a winter cold snap. This could jeopardize Germany’s energy security.
Even though many officials have warned of severe energy shortages in Germany, the government’s top leaders have repeatedly dismissed these fears, expressing confidence that the country’s energy-saving plans will last through the winter.
Recently, such confidence has been shaken, with Germany’s Federal Network Agency head Klaus Müller once again publicly urging consumers to save gas, according to German public-service broadcaster ZDF.
Serious gas shortages across the EU are now on the cards for next year, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned.https://t.co/ujqTjF3fPR
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 13, 2022
While trying to reassure Germans that the country remains “very, very far away from a gas shortage,” Müller admitted that the country was burning way more gas than they expected for this time of year and said that on Monday alone, they burned 1% of their entire gas reserve. “Therefore, despite the cold, I would like to ask you to be careful with your gas consumption,” he said, asking the public to “endure” the cold weather to help Germany reach its goals.
Müller has maintained that, despite the significant gaps in Germany’s gas savings effort, power cuts and blackouts remain extremely unlikely. This message is somewhat undercut by Müller’s recent actions, as he pleaded for a reduction in gas use for the second time in a week.
Experts have warned that rationing will become necessary if Germany does not reduce its overall gas usage by 20%. So, this enthusiasm for asking the public to reduce their gas usage is understandable. Europe was experiencing warm weather when the warnings were issued, but now that the trend has reversed, the energy demand has increased.
Even though the weather in Germany during autumn was relatively mild, the country may now face one of its coldest Decembers in a decade. This will result in higher gas demand than expected. It remains to be seen whether Germany could refill its gas reserves in time for next winter, even if it reduces its resources to nothing for survival.
