The German Tenants' Association has described energy saving as the "need of the hour".

"Tenants should be motivated to save energy, but should not be obliged to fall below the minimum temperature in their apartments," said the tenants' association on request.

"Both the consequences for the tenants and the effects on the condition of the building remain unpredictable."

It went on to say: “Saving energy is the order of the day and affects everyone: owners, tenants and industry.

Of course, it should not be forgotten that apartments that are too cold or pipes that freeze in winter can cause considerable damage to the house and to the health of the residents.

In any case, one must also consider liability issues for any damage to the buildings and to the health of their occupants due to apartments that are too cold in winter.”

Gas continues to flow through Nord Stream 1

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck had announced a new package to save energy.

In view of uncertain Russian deliveries, the provision for the winter should be strengthened.

The measures also involve further savings on gas in apartments.

According to the ministry, there are currently contractual obligations to maintain a minimum temperature in rented rooms.

If tenants want to heat less, they are violating rental contracts.

These obligations are to be temporarily suspended so that tenants who want to turn down the heating can do so.

In addition, owners of gas heating systems should have to do a heating check.

And what about the turbine?

According to network data, gas has continued to flow continuously through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline since the maintenance work was completed delivered per hour.

This corresponds to a delivery of around 700 gigawatt hours per day and around 40 percent of the theoretically possible utilization.

The gas flow is thus still at the level before the start of the ten-day maintenance work on July 11th.

With the start of operations of the Baltic Sea pipeline on Thursday, fears that Moscow could leave the tap permanently turned off were initially unfounded.

Nevertheless, the government, business and experts are preparing for a continuation or even a possible worsening of the gas crisis.

The missing turbine for the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline is said to be stuck in Germany after being serviced in Canada.

Russia has not yet given permission for onward transport to the country, two people familiar with the matter said.

The turbine, whose delayed return means that less gas can flow through the pipeline, according to Russian information, was flown from Montreal to Cologne by the logistics company Challenge Group on July 17.

It is unclear when the turbine, which is around twelve meters long, can be brought to Russia.

It could take days or even weeks, the insiders said.

Initially, no statement could be reached from Challenge Group.

The Ministry of Economy declined to comment.

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck said on Thursday, however, that the "cabal around the turbine from Canada" was an example of the politicization of technical issues by Russia.

"One sometimes has the impression that Russia no longer wants to take them back," said the Greens politician.

So far, Moscow has not provided the necessary documents to import the turbine built by Siemens Energy, one of the insiders said.

Russia's energy giant Gazprom, whose subsidiary Nord Stream AG owns the turbine, cites missing documents as the reason for the delay.

Siemens Energy explained that turbine maintenance is, under normal circumstances, an absolutely routine operation.

“Of course we want to transport the turbine back to its place of use as quickly as possible.

How long that takes is not entirely within our sphere of influence.” Gazprom was also initially unable to comment.

The turbine was in Canada for routine maintenance.

The country had initially blocked a return in view of the international sanctions against Russia.

However, under pressure from the federal government, the turbine was brought to Germany in order to be transported from there to Russia.

The government in Moscow justified the reduced gas flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline with the lack of the turbine.

The federal government considered this to be an advanced argument, but nevertheless advocated delivery of the turbine so as not to give Russia an excuse.

Economics Minister Habeck left open where the turbine is located: “The turbine was in Germany at the beginning of the week.

And when it has reached Russian territory and Gazprom has been handed over, then we will announce that.”