The European Union is able to meet the targets for filling gas storage facilities in the event of refusing two-thirds of the “blue fuel” from Russia only if industrial enterprises are disconnected from gas in spring and summer. This was reported on April 29 by the German magazine Der Spiegel.
The words of the head of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen that Europe is ready to suspend Russian gas supplies in case of refusal to pay for it in rubles, the publication called “too beautiful to be true.”
A number of experts also questioned the veracity of the statement by EC Vice President Frans Timmermans that the EU will be able to replace two-thirds of Russian gas supplies and fill its storage facilities to 80% by November.
According to the model of the Jülich Research Center, such a scenario can be realized only if the European Union restricts gas supplies to industry in the spring and summer. According to experts, with a two-thirds reduction in Russian gas supplies, it is impossible to fill the storage facilities with volumes sufficient to pass the winter period, the newspaper notes.
According to the researchers, subject to a reduction in supplies from the Russian Federation to fill European storage facilities by 63% by August 1, all chemical, metallurgical or cement plants in the EU should be disconnected from gas from that moment until the end of July, and gas-fired power plants will have to stop work for almost the whole of July.
Moreover, according to the center’s specialists, in order to fill the storage facilities by 80% by November 1, it will be necessary to again limit the gas supply to industry during October.
“Filling [газовых] storage facilities in accordance with the planned volumes and at the same time such a serious reduction in supplies from Russia will be possible only under the condition of significant restrictions for industry and power plants, ”Julich Center Professor Jochen Linsen said.
On April 30, The Washington Post in an article expressed the opinion of experts that the EU states depend on Russian gas, and they do not have sufficient alternatives to fuel supplies from the Russian Federation. If Russia stops gas supplies, painful times will come for Europe, countries will literally fight for the opportunity to provide energy to the homes of their citizens and businesses, the publication noted.
On the same day, the official representative of Gazprom, Sergey Kupriyanov, noted that Europe is increasing applications for the supply of Russian gas despite the onset of the weekend. According to the GTS operator of Ukraine, on Friday the volume of applications was 65.4 million cubic meters. m.
On March 23, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the country would switch to paying for gas supplies to unfriendly states in rubles, and signed a decree on March 31. The decision was made against the backdrop of anti-Russian sanctions that foreign countries imposed after the start of a special operation to protect Donbass. Then a number of G7 countries and the European Union considered the Russian demand a violation of contracts.
