![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Germany-gas-rationing-696x392.jpg\" "\\"Germany")
Germany has taken a step closer to gas rationing after a drop in supplies from Russia.<\/p>\n
The country has triggered the \u201calarm\u201d stage of an emergency gas plan to deal with shortages, Germany\u2019s economy ministry said.<\/p>\n
It is the latest part of a standoff between the European Union and Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n
German economy minister Robert Habeck said Russia was using gas \u201cas a weapon\u201d in response to EU sanctions.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe must not fool ourselves. The cut in gas supplies is an economic attack on us by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,\u201d Mr Habeck said, adding Germans would have to reduce consumption.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is obviously Putin\u2019s strategy to create insecurity, drive up prices and divide us as a society,\u201d he added. \u201cThis is what we are fighting against.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ ALSO:<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr Habeck said there would \u201chopefully never\u201d be a need to ration gas for German industry, but he added: \u201cOf course, I can\u2019t rule it out.\u201d<\/p>\n Germany has now moved to the second stage of its three-part emergency plan, which is triggered when there is disruption or very high demand for gas.<\/p>\n It puts more pressure on suppliers and network operators to balance out disruption by taking measures such as finding alternative sources for gas.<\/p>\n However, the country stopped short of letting utilities pass on soaring costs to customers, although that is theoretically possible under stage two.<\/p>\n Gas firms already had to ensure supplies under the first stage of the emergency plan, while gas network operators were reporting to the Economy Ministry at least once a day, and electricity grid operators had to ensure grid stability.<\/p>\n State intervention would happen under the third stage when there is a significant disruption to supply which the market cannot cope with, meaning supplies are rationed.<\/p>\n In the third stage, supply to industry would be restricted first, while households and critical institutions such as hospitals would continue to get available gas.<\/p>\n Twelve European Union countries have now been affected by cuts to gas supply from Russia, EU climate policy chief Frans Timmermans said on Thursday.<\/p>\n Russia cut flows through its Nord Stream 1 pipeline to 40% of capacity last week citing problems with equipment, affecting countries including Germany.<\/p>\n It had already cut gas supplies to Poland, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Finland over their refusal to comply with a new payment scheme.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n