France | Preparations for a “possible” cut in Russian gas

(Aix-en-Provence) The government on Sunday called for “quickly getting into the fight” to deal with the possibility of a total cut in Russian gas supplies “the most likely option”, according to Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire.

Boris Cambrilling
France media agency

Let’s prepare for a complete cut off of Russian gas, this is the most likely option today. This assumes that we are accelerating our energy independence,” he demanded during the economic meetings of Aix-en-Provence, the number two in the French government, who wants to take advantage of the summer “to put itself in battle” before winter.

“You have to put yourself in a worst-case scenario, because it exists. Transitional Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher added, in an interview with figaro dated Monday.

On supply, “we could see tensions over gas this winter,” Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne warned Saturday during a meeting with the press.

“In the face of this danger, we are taking action by diversifying our gas supply sources, increasing our capabilities through the floating LNG terminal project in Le Havre, and accelerating storage,” El-Sayed explained.^I Pannier-Runacher.

In particular, the government has requested that national gas storage capacities be filled to “nearly 100%” by the beginning of autumn.

He said on Saturday M^I Head dense.

But should the electricity run out, the government is preparing for the winter with a series of measures aimed at prioritizing households and some industries.

“Obviously we’re keeping families and […] We do not cut off factories or public transportation,” detailed M^I Saturday station.

“We have to put ourselves on the battlefield now on the organisation, lay the burden, sober, reduce consumption … Now we must make decisions,” said the Minister of Economy.

distribute the voltage

Thus, some industrial sites could be asked to “slow down their energy consumption, or even stop their energy consumption for a certain period,” Mr. Le Maire explained, specifying that it is “absolutely impossible” for some sites, so as not to “break the industrial tool.”

Faced with the risk of Vladimir Putin cutting off the gas tap from Europe, Bruno Le Maire said in an interview with LCI on the sidelines of the Aix meetings, “It is a credible choice,” we must “anticipate the consequences.”

“We must distribute the effort between departments, individuals and companies,” explained Bruno Le Maire, in France which says it is in a “more favorable” position than its neighbours.

The government has launched three working groups to improve energy sophistication in management, businesses, and institutions open to the public. The goal is to develop a roadmap to reduce energy consumption by 10% in two years compared to 2019.

“Sobriety is a complete change in our behaviour, to keep us warm, to move, and to produce. This is the key to not falling into the hands of a geopolitical enemy,” said the Energy Transition Minister.

“It’s a matter of several months, but (this) should also lead us to make a certain number of investment decisions and show imagination,” said Bruno Le Maire of LCI.

The dangers of energy shortages do not stop at the French borders, with the European Commission President on Wednesday calling on the 27 member states of the European Union to “prepare for further interruptions in gas supplies, or even a complete shutdown of gas supplies from part of Russia.”

Germany, which depends more on Russian gas than France, is already on the alert. The Bundestag has adopted a savings scheme: for example, more heating above 20 ° C in winter and more hot water in individual offices.