German natural gas storage facilities are currently only around 61.2% full, according to figures from a European platform that monitors storage levels. AGSI.
That falls well short of the 70% targeted by Sunday.
However, a spokeswoman for Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said there was no cause for concern.
“Germany’s gas supply is secure for the coming winter, even with the current storage levels,” she said.
“Based on the current assessment, we expect Germany to get through the winter in good shape. Security of supply depends not only on storage levels, but also on actual gas withdrawals, ongoing gas imports and additional precautionary measures,” the spokeswoman said.
But Sebastian Heinermann, Sebastian Heinermann, managing director of the Initiative Energien Speichern (Energy Storage Initiative), a mouthpiece for the sector, said the current storage levels were a “serious warning.”
“Germany is entering the heating season with smaller safety reserves. This increases the vulnerability of the gas supply, particularly in the event of exceptionally low temperatures or additional disruptions to gas imports,” Heinermann said.
The Economy Ministry has said the war in Iran, which has brought a partial blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transport route for global gas and oil, was one factor behind the current low storage level.
However, it says Germany now has more options to access additional gas than was the case in 2022, when the gas supply from Russia was cut off amid Moscow’s launch of its invasion of Ukraine.
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