Germany's energy plans no longer count on Russian gas - econ min

Germany no longer counts on receiving gas from Russia after deliveries through the pipeline Nord Stream 1 have been suspended indefinitely by Russian supplier Gazprom. “Gas deliveries from Russia no longer play a role in my security considerations,” Habeck told journalists in Berlin. Habeck said the suspension of Nord Stream 1 “did not come as a surprise”. He said an attempt by Russian president Vladimir Putin to exert pressure on Germany through gas trading had been expected for months. “It would have been a surprise if things had turned out differently,” Habeck said. "The only thing that is reliable from Russia is the lie,” Habeck said with a view to repeated claims by state-owned Gazprom about technical difficulties and accidents that obstruct gas supply through its pipeline network. “We will have to manage without Putin.”

Germany has been taking precautions to prepare for a cut-off from Russian gas for months, by intensifying cooperation with other suppliers in Europe, readying infrastructure to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from overseas, and accelerating the shift away from fossil natural gas to renewables-based technology, Habeck argued. Moreover, the government would prepare emergency management capacities to stabilize energy supply, while citizens were willing to help save as much gas as possible by reducing consumption.

Gas flows through Nord Stream 1 to Europe were not resumed after a planned maintenance period at the end of last week, with Gazprom blaming an oil leak caused by improper maintenance work on a turbine by German company Siemens Energy. The full halt to deliveries comes after months of reduced supplies, which Gazprom had also blamed on technical error caused by technical equipment provider Siemens. A spokesperson for the Russian government on Monday said gas flows through the key pipeline would only be resumed if “the collective West” lifts its sanctions against Russia following the Russian attack on Ukraine.