German gas storage operators warn of shortages in case of freezing weather — Der Spiegel

In Germany, the industry association Initiative Energien Speichern (INES), which represents operators of gas and hydrogen storage facilities, warned of a possible gas shortage in the event of an extremely cold winter. At the time of the assessment, storage facilities were 61% full, which the association described as a historically low level, Der Spiegel reports.

Forecast for early 2027

According to INES's new model calculations, shortages in January, February, and March 2027 could reach up to 6.6 terawatt-hours of gas per month. This corresponds to approximately Germany's gas consumption for one and a half winter days.

On individual days in January, under a severe frost scenario, the gap between demand and available volumes could amount to up to 1.7 terawatt-hours. This is about 40% of average daily gas consumption in January 2026. The modeling is based on the assumption of a winter similar to that of 2010.

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Imports and LNG included

INES noted that the calculations already provide for additional gas imports from neighboring European countries and full use of bookable capacity at LNG terminals. The association's head, Sebastian Heinermann, said that the low level of storage filling poses a significant risk to security of supply.

The association called for creating a state gas reserve, introducing financial incentives for injecting fuel into storage facilities, or making the use of storage facilities mandatory. INES represents 17 operators, including SEFE, Uniper, and VNG. The association's members account for more than 90% of Germany's gas storage capacity.

According to the European gas infrastructure association GIE, after November 1, reserves declined slightly to about 59%. At the same time, Germany's Federal Network Agency assesses the risk of a strained gas supply situation as low, citing additional import opportunities. INES also notes that an extremely cold winter is an unlikely scenario and that gas supplies will be ensured under normal or mild temperatures.