Germany in Winter (Photo Credit: DW.com)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced a €65B package of domestic relief spending according to multiple media reports (such as DW.com). It’s the third tranche of domestic support in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and resulting impacts on energy markets and the German economy.
This third installment reportedly (per Aljazeerah) includes immediate one-off payments of €300 to every pensioner and €200 to every student to help cope with higher energy costs. Those receiving housing benefits will get additional relief. The package also includes €1.5 billion in further public transport subsidies following the popular €9 monthly ticket program that offered unlimited rides on most public transport services throughout Germany. (Just about everything except high-speed intercity trains. Lower speed intercity trains were included.) It’s not yet clear from media reports whether the €9 ticket program will be extended as-is or modified, but the goal is to reduce total petroleum use by encouraging people to drive less.
Russia’s Gazprom has indefinitely suspended gas supplies to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, claiming that there’s a technical issue. Engineers from Siemens on-site in Russia dispute Gazprom’s claims. The default planning assumption now is that there will be no more gas arriving from Russia. Scholz says, “We will get through this winter.”
Other media reports from the past couple days suggest Germany’s “stress test” has shown that Germany will need to extend the operations of at least 2 of its 3 currently operating nuclear power plants if the country is going to make it through winter with reasonable (but still tenuous) electric generating capacity. Germany originally planned to shut down all 3 plants by December 31, 2022, under pressure from the Green Party, a governing coalition minority partner. But Germany’s choice is clear: more coal combined with more energy insecurity, or continue operating GHG-free plants that are operating safely and can continue operating safely. (Neighboring France generates about 70% of its electricity from nuclear power and is planning to expand its nuclear generating capacity. The British government just announced a support package for another pair of nuclear plants.) The Green Party for some strange reason(s) is reportedly continuing to push for shutdown of Germany’s 3 operating nuclear power plants this year. If the Green Party is successful in its push then Germany’s GHG emissions will increase significantly and winter will be tougher.
