Germany says it has enough gas for winter after missing storage target

Since the loss of Russian gas following the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Europe’s biggest economy has scrambled to find new energy supplies, with worries mounting especially before the coldest months of the year.

The situation has worsened this year as the cost of refilling facilities has risen sharply after the US war on Iran pushed European gas prices to their highest levels in years.

German gas storage facilities were on average 61 percent full on Monday, according to European energy tracking platform AGSI, below a legally mandated target of 70 percent by November 1st.

It was also below the European Union average of nearly 75 percent.

But the economy ministry, in a statement to AFP, said that “gas supply in Germany is secured for the coming winter even at the current storage levels”.

The country had successfully diversified its sources of supply since the energy shock that followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a spokeswoman said.

In particular increased supplies of liquified natural gas (LNG) helped to ease supply worries, she said.

Germany has built up import capacities, including with new LNG delivery terminals. Germany receives most of its LNG imports from the United States although some also come from Middle East.

“For these reasons, the 70 percent storage level value must be interpreted flexibly and considered in light of the overall supply situation,” she said.

But INES, an association representation Germany’s gas storage industry, said missing the deadline was a “clear signal that the instruments for ensuring winter preparedness need to be further developed”.

Tougher laws were needed to ensure targets were met, it said in a statement.

And there have been signs the government is growing worried.

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In September the economy ministry ordered a state-owned energy company to boost gas reserves, citing “ongoing geopolitical risks”.