by Dominic Vidalone
ParisAugust 30 – France on Tuesday accused Moscow of using energy supplies as a “weapon of war” as Russian gas giant Gazprom cut deliveries to one of its major utilities and prepared to stop the flow . With a major gas pipeline to Germany.
European governments are racing to respond to rising energy costs for businesses and homes and to find alternatives to Russian supplies for the winter.
Western countries fear Moscow is raising gas prices to try to undermine its resolve to resist an invasion of Ukraine, a tactic that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called economic terrorism on Monday. Moscow denies that it is doing so.
“It is clear that Russia is using gas as a weapon of war and we must be prepared for the worst case scenario, which is a total blockage in supply,” France’s Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Rancher told France Inter. told the radio. ,
French company Angie said the minister made the remarks after receiving less gas from Gazprom since Tuesday due to an unspecified contractual conflict.
Europe is already on notice that when Gazprom closes the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline in Germany for maintenance from Wednesday to Friday, supplies will run out.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Born on Monday urged companies to prepare an energy-saving plan before next month, warning they would be the first to be hit if France is forced to ration gas and electricity supplies.
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The European Energy Minister will meet urgently on 9 September to discuss the crisis.
Germany is ready to consider capping the price of gas, several Italian newspapers reported on Tuesday, citing a text message sent by the German economy minister to energy ministers across Europe.
A spokesman for the economy ministry said Germany would discuss breaking the extreme spiral in gas prices at a meeting of energy ministers, but did not comment directly on the details of the report.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, is pushing for such a price cap and has also called for steps to reduce the cost of electricity from the price of gas.
The measure would allow European households to benefit from electricity produced from cheaper sources such as renewable energy.
Dutch wholesale gas prices eased on Tuesday as Europe achieved its target of nearly 80% full gas reserves and traders took profits after last week’s record prices.
The one-month gas contract fell 3% on Tuesday morning to 259 euro/MWh (MWh), down from last week’s record high, and is trading at levels five times higher than last week. one year.
The escalating costs of the crisis were highlighted when EU member Austria said it was preparing to pump billions of euros into the electricity company, which will help supply prices in energy markets after prices hit the energy market. is unable, who is unable to make the required payment. Guaranteed to cover market transactions.
Vienna city-owned Wien Energy sought help from the federal government over the weekend and the city has identified an “acute financing need” of €6 billion.
The Hague in the Netherlands, home of EU police agency Europol, said last week it would seek a temporary exemption from EU sanctions against Russia as it struggles to find a replacement for its contract with Gazprom.
The sanctions order governments and other public bodies to terminate existing contracts with Russian companies by October 10.
