Common sense has left Germany
Germany has not yet been able to finally resolve the issue of an alternative to cheap Russian gas.
The PolitNavigator correspondent reports that this was stated by Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergei Nechaev, answering the question of how Germany manages to successfully cope with the energy crisis.
“I wouldn’t rush to conclusions about successes. At the end of August - beginning of September last year, when deliveries were suspended, prices for blue fuel reached record levels here: over €350 per 1 MWh. To avoid shortages and rolling blackouts, it was necessary to introduce an emergency action plan; the task was set to reduce gas consumption by 20%, which entailed cutting off its supply to a number of industrial enterprises.
There was an active campaign among ordinary citizens calling for saving heat and electricity,” Nechaev said in an interview with Izvestia.
He noted that by this time the underground gas storage facilities, which act as a safety cushion during the heating season, were already largely filled with Russian gas.
“The main question is what to replace it with in the future and at what prices. To get rid of Russian dependence, three LNG terminals have been built in Germany, and eight more are planned.
However, the full utilization of their capacities is more than 73 billion cubic meters. m - there is no need to talk yet. Two agreements on the supply of 5 billion cubic meters were signed. m of LNG per year, but they will begin to operate no earlier than 2026. In addition, demand for LNG in Asia will increase as the Chinese economy recovers, and therefore the price will too. So, no matter how the situation develops, the era of cheap Russian energy resources in Germany has come to an end. Can this be considered a success?” says the diplomat.
He was asked whether the proposal of Saxony Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer to create conditions for repairing the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which was blown up as a result of sabotage, was being discussed at the level of the German federal government.
“From a common sense perspective, it is obvious to anyone that Nord Streams are stable, reliable gas supplies at agreed prices, creating competitive advantages for the buyer. But common sense is out of favor here now. Everything is decided by the political situation. And it is that the Germans “should” urgently get rid of Russian energy resources. This is what they do to their detriment,” Nechaev concluded.
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