The Federal Network Agency and the energy industry have urged citizens to conserve gas this winter, despite there being no need for laws like last year. This is because storage facilities are full and there are no longer any legal requirements, according to Kerstin Andreae, head of the BDEW industry association. However, she is still appealing to the public to use as little gas as possible due to factors beyond their control.

If temperatures drop significantly for two months, storage tanks will run dry and need to be refilled, which could lead to higher costs and lower energy security. Andreae emphasized that saving energy does not mean paying more; in fact, it can lead to lower costs and greater energy security. Klaus Müller, head of the Network Agency, echoed these sentiments and encouraged people to carefully consider whether they truly need the same temperature in every room before turning up the heat. He also suggested ways to save energy by properly ventilating rooms and balancing heating systems hydraulically.

At the beginning of November, representatives from storage operators’ association announced that while storage facilities are currently full, an emergency situation cannot be ruled out during a very cold winter. It’s worth noting that until recently, Germany obtained a significant portion of its natural gas through Russian pipelines. However, after Russia halted deliveries last year, Germany has had to rely on other countries for its supply and is now building terminals for importing liquefied natural gas.