Gas imports from Russia: What the gas emergency plan means for Berlin and Brandenburg
Gas imports from Russia
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What the gas emergency plan means for Berlin and Brandenburg
Still Russian gas without restriction in European countries. Germany is nevertheless preparing for bottlenecks. Federal Minister of Economics Habeck has announced the first of three stages of an emergency plan. Private households are not affected for the time being.
Due to the war in Ukraine and ongoing Russian threats, the federal government is preparing for a significant disruption to gas supplies in Germany. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) put the early warning stage into effect on Wednesday as the first of three stages of the so-called “gas emergency plan” and at the same time appealed to all consumers to save gas. “There are currently no supply bottlenecks,” explained Habeck. “Nevertheless, when do we have to increase precautionary measures in order to be prepared in the event of an escalation in part by Russia?”
The “Gas Emergency Plan for the Federal Republic of Germany”, which was published in September 2019, defines three crisis levels. According to the ordinance, the early warning stage that has now been proclaimed provides “concrete, serious indications that an event may occur which will probably lead to a significant assessment of the gas supply situation”. The first priority is prevention. From now on, a staff will meet regularly and analyze the situation for the federal government.
to die IHK Potsdam welcomed the entry into force of the gas early warning stage. The association had already requested this last week, press spokesman Detlef Gotschling told rbb on Wednesday. “So that those responsible can come together to ensure a stable supply.”
NBB in contact with major customers
In the region is dying Network company Berlin-Brandenburg (NBB) responsible for the distribution of the gas. At the alleged early warning level, the NBB must clarify who can reduce gas consumption, press spokesman Andreas Wendt told rbb on Wednesday. At the moment they are already in the process of establishing contact with major customers. “We’re trying to find out what production level the major customers can still maintain if there are delivery cuts due to an emergency.” They were also asked whether there were alternative energy supply options.
The emergency plan also states that so-called protected customers are given preferential treatment – this includes households or social institutions such as hospitals. Andreas Wendt therefore considers it unlikely that private customers will be directly affected by the import ban: “In addition to the alternatives from other countries, there is also a European agreement that regulates that in the event of a gas shortage, a neighboring EU country with an additional Deliveries and, so to speak, gives a helping hand,” Wendt continued.
Also development overseen by the Senate
Berlin’s Senator for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, Stephan Schwarz (independent), told the rbb24 evening show that further increases in energy prices are to be expected. But to what extent cannot be predicted. The Senate is monitoring developments, which is also part of the early warning stage.
The steel and food industries are particularly affected
A delivery stop from Russia is a big problem for energy-intensive companies, said Carsten Brönstrup from the Business associations Berlin-Brandenburg. In many cases, gas cannot be replaced. “In some cases, production would have to be shut down completely – with the corresponding consequences for the company for jobs and so on,” says Brönstrup.
In Berlin, the food industry or individual companies from the metal and electrical industry are particularly affected. In Brandenburg, gas is indispensable for cement works, steel works and chemical works, says Brönstrup. Brönstrup is convinced that “entire value-added chains would be endangered” by one supplier. “That would, one has to say so clearly, lead to a meltdown in German industry.”
Above all, the steel industry is dependent on gas, said Holger Wachsmann from the IG Metall from Brandenburg the rbb. A complete halt to the supply of gas is likely to have “massive effects on the entire supply chain,” says Wachsmann. “I don’t know of any alternative to switching off.”
But there is still “natural gas on the market”, said gasag-Press spokeswoman Ursula Luchner. Some of the contracts were signed months ago. “We’re also at the end of the heating season, so less natural gas is needed.” But Luchnar also said: “Of course, if there is less natural gas on the market, prices can rise again.”
Level 2: alarm – Level 3: the emergency
If there is a bottleneck, the second stage is invoked: the alert stage. Then it’s no longer about prophylaxis, said Andreas Wendt from NBB. “What we prepare in the early warning stage – where we theoretically run through where the delivery could be throttled – would then take effect,” says Wendt.
In the third stage – the emergency phase – there is an acute deficiency according to the definition. No gas would be available on the market for free sale. Then the shutdown is no longer voluntary, but is carried out by the state in a so-called “sovereign allocation”. This task is carried out by Federal Network Agencywhich is responsible for the regulation and supervision of competition in gas.
The Federal Network Agency is also already preparing for an emergency. There are already confidential discussions with the companies about the effects of a delivery stop on their plants and for subsequent companies in the supply chain, it said. The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, demands on Wednesday that it is important to fill up the gas storage facilities through acquisitions or a reduction in gas consumption. The gas early warning stage is also a wake-up call to consumers and industry to save gas.
But even if the third stage is proclaimed, private households will be given special protection. It primarily affects companies. “Basically, it affects the economy, prosperity and thus the employees,” says Detlef Gotschling from the IHK Potsdam.
With material by Leonie Schwarzer, rbb24 Inforadio
Broadcast: evening show, March 30th, 2022, 7:30 p.m