EU must cut gas use by 15% this winter over Russian disruption fears, Commission says

The European Commission urged member states on Wednesday to reduce their gas use by 15% from August 1 of this year until 31 March 2023 to ensure they can cope in the event of a total gas cut-off from Russia.

The voluntary measure is part of the highly-anticipated Save Gas for a Safe Winter plan presented in Brussels over worries that the EU will struggle to not only fill in gas storage capacities before the onset of winter but also to secure additional supplies during the colder months.

The aim, the Commission said, is to safeguard supply to households and essential users like hospitals and key industries with all economic actors, including citizens, also urged to think about their own behaviour. 

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen underlined that although some member states are more directly exposed to Russian gas and are therefore more vulnerable to disruptions, all member states “will suffer” if the bloc fails to act together as it would have an impact on the single market and the economy.

“It’s important that all member states contribute in the saving, the storing and are ready to share gas,” she said.

‘Make it safely through the winter’

As part of the proposal, member states would have to submit national energy plans to the Commission by the end of September and provide an update every two months. Countries requesting solidarity gas supplies will be required to demonstrate the measures they have taken to reduce demand domestically.

The proposed legislation would also grant the Commission the power to declare a ‘Union alert’ on security of supply and to impose a mandatory gas demand reduction on all member states if they fail to cut back enough voluntarily. 

This alert would be triggered when “there is a substantial risk of severe gas shortage or an exceptionally high gas demand”, the Commission said in a statement. 

Von der Leyen explained that a 15% reduction in gas consumption equates to about 45 billion cubic metres of gas and that it would enable the bloc to “make it safely through the winter” in case of a complete cut-off from Russia. 

The Commission’s proposal will be discussed by EU ministers during an extraordinary energy summit on 26 July.

Gas storage filled to 65%

The EU and its Western partners have accused Russia of weaponising gas supplied to Europe in retaliation against sanctions imposed over its ongoing military attack on Ukraine.

Twelve member states have already had their Russian gas supplies either partially or completely cut off.

In response, the EU has already committed to filling in gas storage capacities to at least 80% before 1 November but concerns are growing that it will be a hard task as Russia provides 40% of the bloc’s imported gas and that infrastructure to receive liquified natural gas from alternative sources is largely lacking. 

Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned gas company, also warned this week that its deliveries via Nord Stream 1, the pipeline through which about a third of Russian gas transits to Europe, would be cut more after operations restart on Thursday following a planned 10-day maintenance break. 

European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson told reporters that gas storage capacities in the EU are now filled to about 65% but that further reduction of Russian gas deliveries will make reaching the 80% target “very challenging.”

“We risk ending this winter with empty storage which will be impossible to refill in time for the next heating season,” she stressed.