Energie: Reiche sichert Gasversorgung ab - Anweisung an Staatsfirma

Bundeswirtschaftsministerin Katherina Reiche has taken steps to secure Germany's gas supply due to low fill levels in gas storage facilities. She instructed the state-owned energy company Sefe to increase gas storage, in consultation with Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This move comes amid ongoing geopolitical risks, with Iran blocking Hormuz Strait traffic, crucial for global oil and gas trade.

Sefe confirmed receiving the instruction from the Economics Ministry to procure and store 8 terawatt-hours of gas by December 15. The current gas storage level is a relatively low 58%, raising concerns about winter supply. Typically, large distributors buy gas cheaply in summer, store it, and sell it profitably in winter, thus covering the storage costs.

The Hormuz Strait blockade has led to high wholesale prices, making storage economically unattractive as gas needs to be bought more expensively in summer than it's expected to be sold in winter. This step is seen by the Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft as a sensible move to bolster the reliability of gas supply in Germany.

However, some, like Green energy politician Michael Kellner, believe it is coming too late and might not be sufficient. Reiche has also hinted at the potential construction of a strategic gas reserve, which could begin after a parliamentary approval in 2027. The financing of the reserve can be either through gas consumers, a federal budget, or a mix of both.