AIn view of reduced gas supplies from Russia, Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) could announce the next stage in the gas emergency plan in two and a half weeks. According to participants, Habeck is said to have said on Wednesday morning in the Bundestag’s Energy and Climate Committee that he is planning the so-called alert level for July 8th. The date was chosen because the Federal Council meets on that Friday and two new laws that are fundamental to a possible gas crisis can come into force, the Energy Security Act and the Replacement Power Plant Provision Act.
From the Federal Ministry of Economics, however, it was said that Habeck did not say it that way or at least did not mean it that way, maybe he was misunderstood. A spokeswoman for the ministry said: “We decide according to the current situation and the current picture of the situation. That is what the emergency plan and the legal regulations provide for.”
In the committee, Habeck apparently explained the connection with the Replacement Power Plant Availability Act. It is the legal basis for the so-called gas replacement reserve, so that coal-fired power plants keep themselves operational so that less gas has to be used to generate electricity. This would free up natural gas for industry, heating and storage tank filling.
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This law is expected to be passed in the Bundesrat on July 8th. An ordinance can then be issued to activate the gas replacement reserve. The prerequisite for this, however, is that the alarm level has been raised or an impending gas shortage has been determined. Habeck wanted to make this connection clear. He may have made a mistake in the committee, it was said later.
In turn, the Energy Security Act allows, under certain conditions, for energy supply groups such as Uniper to pass on the sharply increased purchase prices for gas to their customers, such as municipal utilities, industrial groups or other end customers.
However, that would not be automatic. According to the Energy Security Act, the Federal Network Agency would first have to sharpen the right to adjust prices. To do this, she has to record a “considerable reduction in the total gas import volumes to Germany”. This is currently 18 percent below the usual level. Whether this is sufficient for triggering would probably have to be clarified politically.
It is still unclear whether and how end customers who are already suffering greatly from inflation will be relieved. From the energy industry it is said that there is “hectic activity” in the federal government to help private end users and the economy on this issue.
Germany is currently still in the early warning stage of the gas emergency plan. Beyond the price disclosure, little changes in the alert level. It is more of a sign that the situation is getting worse. Furthermore, the market should largely ensure the supply.
Only at the third and last level of escalation, the so-called emergency level, does the state intervene directly. Then the Federal Network Agency has the right to allocate gas to industrial companies. Private households and other protected areas, such as hospitals or security forces, are exempt from this management.
Note d. Red.: An earlier version said that Economics Minister Habeck would announce the second stage of the gas emergency plan on July 8th. This statement was put into perspective by the Federal Ministry of Economics.
