Germany's Largest Crematorium to Work Non-Stop to Save Gas, Director Says

BERLIN (Sputnik) - Germany's largest crematorium Rhine-Taunus, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, will operate round-the-clock to save gas, its managing director, Karl-Heinz Konsgen, said on Tuesday.

"Our staff treated this with understanding and accepted the new schedule. It was important for us to ensure our performance without using gas right now," Konsgen told the Bild tabloid.

According to Kongsen, gas was usually used several times a week to heat the furnaces to 800 degrees Celsius (1,472 degrees Fahrenheit). Starting current month, the furnaces will work continuously after heating chamotte stones in early August. The necessary temperature will be maintained by the combustion process itself, and the crematorium will work round-the-clock to ensure that the heat does not decrease without additional gas supply.

Among the main reasons for changing the schedule is the rise in gas prices, Konsgen added.

At the end of June, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck announced the activation of the second stage of the emergency plan for gas, which involves measures to save it. If stage three is announced, the Federal Network Agency will itself regulate who to provide gas with, prioritizing households.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which is the main gas supply route to Europe, has been operating at 40% of its capacity since mid-June. Russian energy giant Gazprom attributed its underperformance to the delays in the return of the Siemens turbine from Canada where it was sent for repairs. On July 25, due to the failure of another turbine, Gazprom further curtailed supplies, with the pipeline currently operating at 20% of its capacity.