The gas price has risen sharply in recent weeks due to the economic recovery after the corona shutdowns.
(Photo: dpa)
Moscow, Berlin The gas price for Europe rises to a new record high in the middle of winter: gas futures for January were quoted on the Dutch spot market, which is decisive for price formation, at 163.19 euros per megawatt hour on Tuesday lunchtime. This is a significant increase and the highest tariff ever listed. In October the price had risen to 161.50 euros per megawatt hour, but then fell again when the Russian gas company Gazprom increased its exports to Europe after pressure on Moscow.
There is hardly any hope at the moment. Another reason for this is that tensions between the EU and Russia are increasing significantly due to the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is also the threat of an end to the controversial Russian Baltic Sea gas pipeline Nord Stream 2. And discussions in Moscow in this case to stop gas supplies to Europe.
No relaxation is expected in the next few weeks: As things stand, Gazprom will not increase gas deliveries to Europe in order to lower record prices through higher supply. The state-controlled Russian gas company refused on Monday to increase additional transit capacities through Ukraine.
So far, Gazprom has been supplying 109 million cubic meters of natural gas daily in transit through Ukraine to Europe. The company has turned down the offer to pump an additional 15 million cubic meters through the country every day at an auction.
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“The conclusions are obvious: The blackmail of Europe continues to certify Nord Stream 2 as soon as possible,” said the head of the Ukrainian pipeline operator, Serhiy Makohon.
Russia stops deliveries through the Yamal pipeline
In addition, Russia has now also stopped its gas deliveries to Germany through the Yamal-Europe pipeline. After the delivery had already decreased significantly in the past few days and had stood still for a short time, the gas was pumped in the opposite direction on Tuesday – from Germany to Poland.
As the German network operator Gascade explained, the gas from the Mallnow compressor station in Brandenburg will be piped east for the rest of the day. The gas price has risen sharply in the past few weeks due to the economic recovery after the corona shutdowns.
Russia said reversing gas supplies was a purely commercial decision and had nothing to do with politics and the disputes over the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline.
From Poland it was said that the Russian gas supplier Gazprom was fulfilling its contractual obligations. The deliveries to the east had been commissioned by Poland. Initially, no comment was received from Gazprom.
In the past few months, less gas than usual came to Germany via the Yamal pipeline. At the beginning of November the gas had already been pumped in the opposite direction for a few days.
Yamal Europe has existed since 1999
The Yamal-Europe gas pipeline runs from the Yamal Peninsula in Siberia through Russia, Belarus and Poland to Germany. It was completed in 1999 and has been in operation since the mid-2000s with a capacity of 33 billion cubic meters per year.
Politicians accuse Russia of delaying gas supplies to Europe because of the political conflict.
(Photo: Reuters)
There is also the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which has been pumping gas directly from Russia to Germany through underwater pipelines for around ten years. The controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which also runs through the Baltic Sea, has been completed but has not yet been approved. It could go into operation next summer.
Critics of Nord Stream 2 fear that Germany is heavily dependent on Russian gas. This is viewed critically against the background of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Germany and the European Union (EU) are calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the region. Politicians accuse Russia of delaying gas supplies to Europe because of the political conflict. Russia and Gazprom reject this.
With material from Reuters
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