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Pipeline of the French company "GRT Gaz": delivery stop from Russia
Photo: MICHEL SPINGLER / AP
After Russia drastically reduced gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, supplies of Russian natural gas to France via Germany have ground to a halt.
The gas supply in France will not be affected by this, and the filling of the storage for the winter will continue, said the gas network operator "GRT Gaz" on Friday.
In view of the already declining gas consumption, imports via the French-German gas hubs have already been 60 percent below the previous year's level since the beginning of the year.
The lines are only used to ten percent of their original capacity.
Since Wednesday, no natural gas has reached France via Germany.
On the other hand, gas is increasingly being imported via a pipeline from Spain to France.
According to the gas network operator, even if Russia turned off the gas tap completely, there would be no problems in France in a normal winter.
In a harsh winter, there could be calls for more economical use and limited supplies to some industrial customers.
Compared to other European countries, however, natural gas from Russia plays a minor role for France.
LPG imports in France have increased by 66 percent since the beginning of the year.
The capacities of an LNG terminal near Marseille are currently being expanded.
Additional capacities for liquid gas are also to be created in the north of the country near the cities of Dunkirk and Le Havre.
The fact that France no longer receives gas via German pipelines is a consequence of the Russian supply throttling at Nord Stream 1, according to the German Federal Ministry of Economics.
Despite the reduced deliveries from Russia, the federal government still considers the gas supply in this country to be stable.
At the same time, a spokesman for Economics Minister Robert Habeck spoke of a serious situation.
So far, no EU country has triggered a solidarity mechanism.
In the event of a crisis, such emergency plans are intended to regulate who is supplied with gas – and who is not.
mike/mic/dpa
