Erdgas: VNG-Chef hält Gasversorgung im Winter für gesichert

German energy firm VNG's chief, Ulf Heitmüller, insists the country's gas supply will remain secure during the winter despite unusually low levels in gas storage facilities. Speaking to Reuters on Monday, Heitmüller noted the system is overall much more robust compared to 2022, thanks to increased imports of liquid natural gas (LNG).

He stated that VNG has broader sources of supply and increased access to LNG. Gas storage facilities currently hold only 57 percent of their capacity, a historic low for the end of September and significantly below the European average. VNG, which is majority-owned by utility EnBW, is one of Germany's largest gas importers alongside state-owned firms Uniper and Sefe.

The company has structured its portfolio to meet its delivery obligations even in a cold winter, Heitmüller emphasized. VNG imports pipeline gas from Norway and has secured deliveries from Algeria and Azerbaijan, suppliers that have gained importance since the loss of Russian pipeline supplies. While gas storage is part of supply security, it is not the only factor, Heitmüller noted.

Additional import failures, global energy market shortages, or infrastructure disruptions combined with colder weather during winter could lead to price spikes. European gas prices have more than doubled this year to around 75 Euros per Megawatt-hour (MWh) following the closure of the Hormuz Strait due to the Iran war, which has reduced global LNG supply.

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen warned in the past week that the continent faces an energy price crisis this winter. The German government has resisted demands for direct intervention to increase storage levels but supports the auction of reserve gas for the first quarter of 2027. Heitmüller welcomed this step, stating it creates incentives for gas storage without distorting the market.

The story also reports on efforts to quickly increase the historically low fill level of gas storage facilities.