“The reservoirs are filling up faster than what has been set,” Habeck was quoted as saying by Der Spiegel magazine, adding that the government’s target of reaching 85 percent capacity by October could be met by early September. Germany is in the second phase of a three-stage emergency plan formed after gas flows from Russia, its main supplier, were cut. Only 9.5 percent of Germany’s natural gas consumption in August came from Russia, Spiegel reported, citing data from the electricity industry association BDEW. Last year, Russian gas accounted for about 55% of the country’s total consumption. The government had targeted natural gas storage levels at 75% by September 1, but storage levels are already at 82.2%, industry data from the GIE group of European operators showed on Sunday. “Companies will then be able to withdraw natural gas from storage facilities as planned during the winter to also supply industry and households,” Hambeck said. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is also expected to flow to Germany via France after the two countries resolved organizational and technical issues to facilitate supplies, Spiegel said, citing an economy ministry document. (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
