If Russia turns off the tap, the bloc will allegedly encourage residents to ration
According to a Wednesday Bloomberg article, the European Union is preparing a series of emergency steps to lessen the effects of a potential Russian gas cutoff. Stockpiling, targeting supplies at certain sectors, and limiting public usage are some of the actions being investigated.
The plans are outlined in a draft memo seen by Bloomberg, which asks for “early coordinated action at EU level” to allay concerns among the group that Russia would suddenly stop supplying gas to the continent.
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The European Commission claimed in the document, which Bloomberg cautioned is still susceptible to revision before it is implemented as policy next week, that “acting now might decrease the effect of an unexpected supply disruption by one third.”
The study states that current Russian gas exports are less than 30% of the average for the period from 2016 to 2021. The EU wants gas reserves at 80% to “minimize the effect of a sudden supply disruption by a third” in the event that Russia pulls the plug.
In the case of a cutoff, the EU intends to advise that nations give priority to supply networks and important industries while encouraging decreased consumption through “market-based mechanisms” like auctions or tender procedures, which would raise prices.
As has already happened in some nations, domestic users will be subjected to awareness campaigns pushing them to lower their home heating, and, in Bloomberg’s words, “at an alert level of crisis,” there will be forced limits set on their gas usage.
After the EU imposed sanctions on Russia, various of the bloc’s members had different effects on their gas supply. In response to their refusal to adopt the Russian government’s ruble-based payment system in April, Finland, Poland, and Bulgaria had their supply shut off by Gazprom. When sanctions stopped the Russian energy behemoth from bringing a repaired turbine returned from Canada earlier this month, Germany’s gas supply were briefly limited. Berlin finally obtained a waiver.
When it abandoned the Nord Stream 2 project only days after Russia began its military action in Ukraine in February, Germany, whose status as Europe’s industrial powerhouse depends on Russian gas, intentionally put its supply in peril as well. Because Nord Stream 1 was shut down by Gazprom on Monday for ten days of yearly maintenance, Germany’s gas problems are expected to worsen.
