Scholz optimistic: No gas shortages in winter 2023/24 either
Created: 12/16/2022, 10:41 p.m
By: Stefanie Fischhaber
Chancellor Olaf Scholz does not expect a gas shortage in the coming winter either.
(Archive image) © Nicolas Landemard/ dpa
Concerns about a gas shortage are great.
Germany is prepared for the current winter.
And Chancellor Scholz is also giving the all-clear for the coming one.
Berlin – Just a few months ago, concerns about the coming winter were high due to the energy crisis.
It now appears that Germany is getting through the winter without running out of gas.
But the federal government will not import any gas from Russia in the coming year either.
For many, the question arises as to how things should continue in the coming winter.
Gas crisis in Germany: Scholz is also confident for winter 2023/24
“In the spring, nobody believed that we would be able to manage without gas supplies from Russia this winter.
With great effort, we succeeded - and we will of course continue these efforts in 2023," said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in an interview with the
Süddeutsche Zeitung
.
He was therefore optimistic about the winter of 2023/24.
According to his own words, he expects that Germany's gas supply will also be secured in the coming year.
"We can assume that, like this year, if nothing unforeseen happens," said the SPD politician.
Scholz had already assured several times for the winter of 2022/23 that there would probably be no gas shortages.
Germany on the lookout for new gas importers: Talking to Norway and the USA
However, the loss of Russian gas must be compensated for in other ways.
The Chancellor announced that he intends to press ahead with the construction of new LNG terminals in the coming year.
He also wants to conclude further supply contracts for the future.
"The federal government is in constant contact with the gas importers and is also promoting the conclusion of long-term contracts," he said.
The previous dependence on Russia must teach Germany a lesson.
In the future, the chancellor therefore wants to make himself less dependent on individual suppliers.
The gas will therefore come largely from Norway, the USA and the Gulf region, with a small portion from the Netherlands.
Substitute for Russian gas: Scholz opens the first terminal for liquefied natural gas
On Saturday (December 17), Scholz will open the first floating terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, together with Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner.
Further terminals are being built in Brunsbüttel (Schleswig-Holstein), Stade (Lower Saxony) and Lubmin (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania).
They are intended to help fill the gas supply gap that has arisen as a result of the extensive halt to Russian gas supplies to Germany.
(
sf with dpa
)
