Germany fills gas storage facilities by 85% ahead of schedule

Germany, despite the shutdown of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, filled gas storage facilities by 85%, transmits RIA Novosti with reference to data from the Association of European Gas Infrastructure Operators GIE. Earlier, German Economy Minister Robert Habek said that the country’s UGS facilities are being filled ahead of schedule, despite the limitation of supplies from Russia.

By the evening of September 3, the UGS occupancy rate was 85.02%, according to the GIE data. Previously owned by Gazprom, the Reden gas storage facility, which was less than 1% full in April, is now 69.54% full.

At the end of August, Germany filled gas storage facilities to 80.14%, TASS wrote with reference to the report of the Federal Network Agency (Germany’s regulator). The head of the country’s Ministry of Economy predicted that the October target for filling UGS facilities would be reached in early September.

At the same time, the head of the regulator, Klaus Muller, noted that it would be difficult to fill storage facilities by 85% by October. He also stated that if UGS facilities are filled to 95% by November, this amount of gas enough only for 2.5 months to cover all the needs of the country in the event of a complete halt in supplies from Russia.

August 31 “Gazprom” stopped the only gas pumping unit operating at the Portovaya compressor station of the Nord Stream gas pipeline due to scheduled repairs. It was planned to resume pumping on September 3, however, “Gazprom” fully stopped operation of the gas pipeline due to a malfunction found in the turbine during routine maintenance.

The market will react to the shutdown of the Nord Stream by increasing prices, and it is possible to increase the volume of pumping only through the territory of Ukraine, since the Turkish Stream is already operating at maximum capacity, noted experts.