Germany reaches a historic low in its gas reserves

Natural gas storage facilities in Germany have reached their lowest level in history, raising concerns about a potential gas shortage during the winter, the Association of Underground Gas Storage Operators (INES) announced on Tuesday.

According to the organization, as of November 1, storage facilities were only 61% full—9% below the level stipulated by the Ministry of Economics. German media point to the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran as the primary cause of this shortage. 

Another factor contributing to this situation is the German government’s energy policy, which led to the cessation of purchases of Russian energy resources.

"In the event of an extremely cold winter, similar to that of the benchmark year 2010, gas demand might not be fully met during the months of January, February, and March 2027," announced INES. Furthermore, it specified that the supply deficit could reach as much as 6.6 terawatt-hours (TWh) over the course of a single month.

Additionally, Sebastian Heinermann, managing director of INES, noted that "imports via pipelines and available liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals are not, on their own, sufficient to cover high consumption peaks during cold winter days." In this context, he called for a solution to the energy crisis. "Low storage levels pose a significant risk to security of supply."

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Source of information: Global News Agencies including REUTERS / TASS / AFP / ANADOLU / INT.RU / Al Jazeera / CNN