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The European Commission called on member states on Wednesday to reduce their gas use by 15% from August 1 this year to March 31, 2023, to ensure they can cope in the event of a total gas cut. from Russia.
The move is part of the long-awaited ‘Save Gas’ for a Safe Winter plan presented in Brussels amid concerns that the EU will struggle not only to fill gas storage capacity before the start of winter, but also to secure extra supplies during colder months.
The aim, the Commission said, is to protect supply to households and essential users, such as hospitals and major industries, with all economic actors, including citizens, also encouraged to consider the cost measure.
Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen underlined that although some member states are more exposed to Russian gas and therefore more vulnerable to disruptions, all member states “will suffer” if the bloc does not act together.
The proposed legislation would also give the Commission the power to declare a ‘common alert’ for security of supply and impose a mandatory reduction in gas demand for all member states if they fail to cut enough voluntarily.
This alert would be activated when “there is a substantial risk of severe gas shortages or an unusually high demand for gas,” the Commission said in a statement.
Von der Leyen explained that a 15% reduction in gas consumption equates to around 45 billion cubic meters of gas and would allow the bloc to “safely get through the winter” in the event of a complete cutoff from Russia.
The Commission’s proposal will be discussed by EU ministers during an extraordinary energy summit on 26 July.
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