Overview
- Storage has declined to 70.6% from 74.8% two weeks earlier, far below last November’s roughly 98% and about 16 percentage points under the 2017–2021 average.
- Aggregated volumes still meet the EU’s 70% target, while national rules set an 80% benchmark for November 1 in the regular case and minimum fills of 45% at designated facilities.
- Federal Network Agency chief Klaus Müller says the current level is not alarming because LNG terminals offer flexible import options and he expects no bad news unless several adverse factors coincide.
- Analysts warn that a cold spell, a weaker starting fill, and reduced EU-wide buffers could tighten supply from January, and the Initiative Energien Speichern cautions a very cold winter could force costly emergency imports.
- Households and small businesses account for roughly 40% of consumption, prompting fresh calls to save gas, and regional storage varies, with Saxony-Anhalt reported near 94%.