Robert Habeck, Germany’s economy minister said the government will limit the use of natural gas for electricity production amid concerns about possible shortages caused by a cut in supplies from Russia.
Germany has taken this decision after Russia sharply reduced flows of natural gas in its pipelines to western Europe, driving up energy prices.
“To reduce gas consumption, less gas must be used to generate electricity. Coal-fired power plants will have to be used more instead,” Robert Habeck said.
Russian state gas giant Gazprom said the supply reductions via the Nord Stream pipeline are the result of repair work, but European Union officials believe Moscow is punishing allies of Ukraine, where Russian forces launched an invasion in February, Al-Jazeera reported on Monday.
Berlin’s temporary recourse to coal marks a turnaround for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and the liberal FDP, which has vowed to wind down its coal usage by 2030.
“It’s bitter but indispensable for reducing gas consumption,” Habeck said.
The government has insisted that Russian gas will be needed for a while until alternative sources of energy, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) brought in by ship, are available.
Over the past months the German government has taken measures to fill gas storage facilities to 90 percent capacity by November to ensure enough gas is available as a heating fuel through the European winter.
