The European Union (EU) is in an “incredibly precarious” position in the face of the Russian threat of a total cut in gas supply for next winter, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has urged the Twenty-seven to promote gas storage by reducing the demand of companies and homes, temporarily increasing the use of coal and oil in electricity generation, in addition to nuclear energy, reports Europa Press. In this sense, this Thursday Russia should restore the gas supply to Germany, which is cut off in the Nord Stream gas pipeline due to maintenance works. However, within the EU this gas cut is understood as the step prior to a definitive cut.
We have seen some progress, particularly in terms of diversifying gas supply, but not enough, especially on the demand side, to prevent Europe from finding itself in an incredibly precarious situation today. AIE, the Turkish Fatih Birol, for whom the latest moves by Russia to further reduce natural gas flows to Europe are a red alert for the EU.
“As we approach the coming winter, we have a clearer idea of what Russia can do next. The next few months will be critical,” he warned.
Thus, the director of the IEA has stressed that if Russia maintains a certain level of supply during the summer, it is still feasible to achieve the 90% storage level.
According to a new IEA analysis, the additional gas to be saved in the next three months is in the order of 12 billion cubic meters, enough to fill some 130 LNG tankers.
In this context, the IEA has proposed a total of five measures: minimizing the consumption of gas to generate electricity, for example by temporarily turning to coal, oil and nuclear power plants as an alternative, greater coordination between energy operators across Europe to reduce consumption peaks, since that is when gas plants are most used to produce electricity, reduce consumption by individuals with standards and controls for air conditioning, for which administrations have to be exemplary and harmonize plans both at national and European level, including supply cuts and solidarity mechanisms.
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