While Russia has reduced its gas deliveries by 40%, Berlin has triggered the second level of alert of the gas emergency plan and is wondering about the future of the last three nuclear reactors

Is Germany on the eve of a new energy revolution? All certainties are in any case in the process of tipping since Russia reduced its gas deliveries by 40%. The country is highly dependent on it for its consumption and production. Thursday, June 23, the Minister of Economy and Climate, ecologist Robert Habeck, triggered the second level of alert of the gas emergency plan, which has three. This implies additional interventions on the market, in order to favor the filling of the reservoirs, in anticipation of the winter.

“The situation is tense. We are in a gas crisis,” the minister said. This should reach its full extent from the fall, with massive consequences for the economy. The specter of a disruption in energy supplies is real: gas reservoirs are currently only 58% full, according to the latest report from the German network agency. This is insufficient to cover needs this winter, especially in industry, while households have priority. In recent days, the risk of a serious recession has been openly mentioned.

The minister had already launched a first action plan on Sunday, June 19. This provides in particular that, to save gas and fill the reservoirs, electricity production from gas-fired power stations (15% of the electricity mix) will be reduced, the lack being replaced by… more intensive use of coal-fired power stations. For the Greens, the decision to make more use of black ore, which is very polluting and emits greenhouse gases, was “painful”, conceded Mr. Habeck, Tuesday, June 21, during a speech before the Federation of the German industry.