German Regulator Says Gas Storage Facilities 100% Full

BERLIN (Sputnik) - Gas storage facilities in Germany are 100% full, the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) said on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, the agency noted that the situation remains tense and further deterioration cannot be ruled out.

"Gas continues to be injected into storage. The total storage level in Germany is 100%," the Bundesnetzagentur said in a status report, adding that the storage level at the country’s largest gas storage facility, Rehden, is 94.75%.

Gas storage capacities are nominal and therefore pumping continues even after 100% filling is reached, the regulator specified.

The Bundesnetzagentur reiterated the importance of limiting gas consumption. Gas shortages during winter can be avoided if Germany continues to meet its goal of cutting energy usage by at least 20%. Currently, gas consumption in the country is below average, compared to the past four years, due to warmer weather.

Since 2021, energy prices in EU countries have been surging as part of a global trend. After the beginning of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022 and the adoption of several packages of sanctions against Moscow by the EU, energy prices accelerated their rise, placing energy security high on both the global and national agendas, and pushing many European governments to resort to contingency measures.

Protests have swept across several European countries as citizens demand pay rises, urgent measures to tackle rising inflation and comprehensive steps to mitigate soaring energy prices amid mass lay-offs and industry closures.