In view of reduced gas supplies from Russia, Minister of Economic Affairs Robert Habeck (Greens) has announced the next stage in the gas emergency plan.

The alert level is the second of three escalation levels of the gas contingency plan unveiled after the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Habeck warned even if gas quantities could still be procured on the market and still stored: "The situation is serious and winter will come." The throttling of gas supplies is an "economic attack by Putin".

The Russian President's strategy is to stoke uncertainty, drive up prices and divide.

“We are in a gas crisis.

Gas is now a scarce commodity.

The prices are already high and we have to be prepared for further increases," said Habeck.

The alert level follows the early warning level in place since March 30.

Security of supply is currently guaranteed, but the situation is tense, according to the Federal Ministry of Economics.

“It will be a national effort”

The top priority is now to fill the gas storage tanks, said Habeck.

Alternative providers would be sought and renewable energies expanded.

"It will be a national effort." In addition, more gas must be saved.

"All consumers - both in industry, in public institutions and in private households - should reduce their gas consumption as much as possible so that we can get through the winter," warned the Economics Minister.

The so-called price adjustment mechanism, with which suppliers could pass on higher prices directly to their customers, has not yet been activated. The mechanism could be necessary in certain situations to prevent the energy supply from collapsing, said Habeck.

“But it also has its downsides, so we are also working on alternative concepts.

It is important to keep the market going despite the high additional costs.”

Since the reduction in gas supplies from Russia through the Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 1, the gas market has been even tighter than before.

Another burden is foreseeable: an upcoming maintenance of the pipeline is planned from July 11th, it could take about ten days.

More on this shortly at FAZ.NET.