Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU) has reportedly instructed the state-owned energy company Sefe to significantly increase the storage of natural gas. According to a report by the “Handelsblatt”, which cites sources within the Ministry, this action took place late Tuesday evening and was coordinated with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). This move represents the next step in Reiche’s efforts to strengthen Germany’s gas supply security.
While the Minister had previously directed the state-owned gas importer to purchase gas for storage back in mid-September, that instruction did not specifically target Sefe. The current directive is a shift in policy, driven by the persistent low fill levels of German gas storage, even though no immediate shortages are foreseen. Ministerial circles indicate that the central reason for this enhanced focus is the continuing presence of geopolitical risks.
In recent months, the CDU politician had previously rejected an earlier intervention into the gas market, but stated that the government had prepared instruments for various scenarios. This situation has now necessitated the use of those tools. It is understood from the Ministry of Economics that commissioning Sefe for additional procurement is one such prepared measure. However, it was emphasized within the Ministry that Sefe will ultimately decide the exact quantities and the timing of the storage.
