The energy crisis is upsetting traditional roles: France, previously Germany’s most important electricity supplier, is becoming a customer. And is now supplying gas in return.
France is restarting a decommissioned gas pipeline in the border region with Rhineland-Palatinate. The pipeline, originally built for deliveries to France, will now bring gas to Germany for the winter, French government officials say. The pipeline’s capacity is reportedly enough to supply up to two percent of Germany’s demand.
On Monday, Germany and France had agreed on
energy supplies during the crisis, reaching an unusual outcome compared to expectations. France will receive electricity from Germany because the country’s nuclear power plants are insufficient to meet demand: Many reactors are currently shut down because of low water levels and high temperatures in the rivers, and also because of a major maintenance backlog. Conversely, gas is to flow to Germany through a pipeline that was originally intended to transport the fuel to France.
On Friday, EU energy ministers will meet to discuss how to limit the dramatic rise in energy prices. According to Czech Industry Minister Jozef Sikela, two main proposals will be discussed. One is whether gas-fired power plants should be temporarily removed from the system for determining electricity prices. Secondly, prices from cheaper producers such as wind and solar farms or nuclear and coal-fired power plants could be capped.
Functioning of the German levy still open
The leaders of the traffic light coalition had announced an electricity price brake in Berlin over the weekend, but the details are still unclear. Households and presumably also companies are to be able to cover their basic consumption at reduced rates. In this context, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is also to skim off special profits made by energy companies on the electricity market as a result of the crisis. How this can be achieved is also still open.
the source from which the news item was created: https://www.spiegel.de
