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Fearing that Russia may completely cut off natural gas supplies, the head of the German Energy Regulatory Agency, Klaus Mueller, called on the population on Saturday to save energy and prepare for the winter, a period during which gas usage increases.
Mr Mueller urged household customers to check and adjust boilers and gas radiators to maximize their efficiency.
“Maintenance can reduce gas consumption by 10% to 15%“, he said to the German newspaper “Funke Mediengruppe”.
The appeal comes as earlier this month Russia reduced the amount of gas it exports to Germany, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia and at a time when European Union countries are struggling to secure fuel reserves.
Russian state company Gazprom said the reason for the reduction in the amount of natural gas was a technical problem with the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, a gas pipeline that runs under the Baltic Sea, transporting gas from Russia to Germany.
The company said equipment being repaired in Canada had been stuck there because of Western sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.
German leaders have rejected this claim and called the reduction in the amount of gas a political move in response to European Union sanctions against Moscow.
German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is also Minister of Economy and Climate and responsible for energy issues, has warned that a “blockage” of the pipeline is possible starting on July 11, when the normal maintenance process will begin his. In previous summer seasons, this process has led to the shutdown of Nord Stream 1 for about 10 days, he said.
“The question that arises is whether what should be a regular maintenance process of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, would turn into a more long-term “political maintenance”“, Mr. Mueller said.
If the amount of gas coming from Russia “were to decrease for a longer period of time, we would have to think more seriously about savings,” he said.
According to Mr. Mueller, in the event of a gas supply interruption, family consumers such as hospitals or nursing homes would be protected first.
He said that his agency does not see any scenario under which the amount of gas coming to Germany would be completely cut off./VOA
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