Germany misses gas storage target; Swiss rely on reserves abroad

Germany enters November with significantly less stored gas than targeted. For 31 October, the European industry association Gas Infrastructure Europe reports a fill level of 61.17 percent. That corresponds to 151.31 terawatt hours. The target for 1 November was an overall level of roughly 70 percent. The German economics ministry had already conceded the foreseeable shortfall on Friday.

The gap is just under nine percentage points. The lower fill level means a smaller reserve buffer. On its own, however, it is not yet proof that gas will be scarce in winter. The Bundesnetzagentur assesses supply as stable. In its situation report of 30 October, it continues to rate the risk of a tense gas supply as low.

Why the requirement is not the same for every storage facility

The German ordinance generally requires a fill level of 80 percent per facility by 1 November. For six named storage sites, including Rehden, 45 percent applies. These exceptions are justified by lower injection and withdrawal rates and by geographical location. The frequently cited figure of around 70 percent is therefore an overall value derived from differing facility requirements, not a uniform minimum for every site.

Within Europe, too, reserves are unevenly distributed. For the same data date, GIE reports 86.82 percent for France and 91.05 percent for Italy. The EU average was 74.68 percent. Such figures describe the share of the respective storage capacity. They do not indicate what share of a country's consumption can be covered with it.

Spatial distribution alone also does not determine where stored gas will later be consumed. Germany is integrated into the European pipeline network. Alongside the volume in storage, what matters for supply is which deliveries arrive on an ongoing basis and how quickly gas can actually be withdrawn and transported when demand is high.

Imports supplement the stored volumes

For the period from 22 to 28 October, the Bundesnetzagentur reports pipeline imports of 18.3 terawatt hours. A further 1.1 terawatt hours came through German terminals for liquefied natural gas, LNG. During that period, these terminals were on average 28.4 percent utilised. The authority therefore points to the interplay of imports, storage, infrastructure and demand.

Additional purchases are meant to increase reserves. According to the economics ministry, the state-owned company SEFE was commissioned to procure eight terawatt hours over two months, preferably outside the EU. Injection is thus continuing beyond 1 November. That does not change the missed deadline target, but it shows that filling does not end with the calendar date.