ROUNDUP: Gas storage could be full again by autumn – less consumption

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BERLIN/BONN (dpa-AFX) – The gas storage operators expect that the storage facilities in Germany can be 100 percent full again at the beginning of the 2023/2024 heating period. Another extensive filling of the gas storage facilities before the winter of 2023/24 is physically possible, the Energy Storage Initiative (Ines) reported on Thursday in Berlin.

Model calculations by the association see the fill level at the end of September of the current year at 100 percent – regardless of the temperature profile. In mid-November 2022, as winter was coming to an end, the storage facilities had been 100 percent full since the end of August, despite Russian gas supply stops. On Wednesday morning, the level was 75.4 percent.

Ines Managing Director Sebastian Bleschke was optimistic about the gas situation in the rest of winter 2022/2023: “Although the savings in consumption fell in January compared to December, we do not have to fear a gas shortage.” This applies even at extremely low temperatures.

With a view to the renewed filling of the gas storage tanks in the summer, ongoing savings in consumption remain relevant “and should be maintained as far as possible,” Bleschke continued. A moderate to high volume of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is required to refill the storage facility.

According to the Federal Network Agency, gas consumption in Germany in the fifth calendar week was 14.3 percent below the average consumption for the years 2018 to 2021. Adjusted for temperature, the value was 12 percent below the reference value, “and thus in the critical range”. The authority describes the situation as critical if less than 15 percent of gas is saved after temperature adjustment.

The network agency considers it unlikely that there will be a gas shortage this winter. “Nevertheless, preparation for the winter of 2023/2024 remains a key challenge,” it said in its daily gas situation report on Thursday. “That’s why economical gas consumption remains important.” Authority President Klaus Müller tweeted: “Further savings, diversified gas imports & well-filled gas storage will help for the winter of 23/24.”/tob/DP/jha