Germany: Record-low gas storage levels spark political storm

The situation in German gas storage facilities has become the source of a serious political conflict in Berlin. According to the latest data, the inventory level has fallen to 23-24 percent, a figure significantly lower than the average of the past five years. Michael Kellner of the Green Party warns of the risk of shortages, pointing out that winter is not yet over. The Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche, faced criticism during a special meeting of the Bundestag's economic committee. Critics accuse her of a lack of foresight and allowing a situation where the country operates at an extremely low level of energy security. Despite the alarmist tones of politicians, the situation on commodity markets appears quite different. Gas prices for end consumers in the European Union are showing a downward trend, an effect of the global boom in LNG. Increased supply of liquefied gas, mainly from the USA, is effectively compensating for the low storage levels. Experts note that the market is becoming increasingly flexible, and traditional storage is losing importance as the sole guarantee of security. Nevertheless, incidents such as potential transmission infrastructure failures in Norway still pose a real threat to system stability. Following the 2022 energy crisis, European countries introduced strict storage filling standards, but the current year is testing these mechanisms due to exceptionally low temperatures in February. Extreme opinions about the government's strategy are emerging in public debate. Conservative media accuse the opposition of running a “campaign of fear” and trying to gain political capital from market phenomena. According to commentators, the energy system of Germany is now much better prepared for external shocks than in previous decades, and the current inventory level, although low, does not pose a direct threat to households. Meanwhile, Green Party supporters emphasize that national security cannot depend solely on temporary oversupply in global markets. „Storage is 23.5 percent empty in mid-February, and winter continues. The minister must finally act.” — Michael Kellner 2026-02-01: 35, 2026-02-07: 29, 2026-02-14: 25, 2026-02-17: 23 23% — mid-February marks a historically low level of gas reserves Highlights government neglect in energy security and demands strict regulations on mandatory strategic reserves. | Accuses the opposition of sowing panic, pointing to market mechanisms and LNG supplies as sufficient safeguards for price stability.