news reported last week that the European Commission – as a response to the uncertain gas flow from Russia – would order member countries to cut gas consumption by 15 per cent from 1 August. The aim was that the member states would approve the plan to get “safely through the winter” during the extraordinary meeting of energy ministers in Brussels this week. On Tuesday, the plan was adopted, albeit in a somewhat watered-down form. Among other things, island states such as Malta and Ireland and other countries with “specific geographical or physical situation” are exempt from the strictest rules. The agreement nevertheless stipulates that these can also be forced to cut compulsory gas “in the event of an emergency”. The plan applies for the period 1 August this year to 31 March next year. – This shows that the member states stand against attempts by Russia to create division in the EU by using energy as a weapon, says the Czech minister Józef Síkela. According to Bloomberg, Hungary voted against the proposal. – The plan is full of holes and shows how difficult energy policy is in the EU, writes Brussels correspondent Alf Ole Ask in the newspaper Energi og Klima. The same newspaper has previously written that the pressure to come to a decision has been great “because politically it will not look good if the EU is not agreed”. Minister of Energy in Ukraine, German Galushenko, during the extraordinary meeting of energy ministers in Brussels this week. Photo: Virginia Mayo / AP – The consequence is high energy prices – This is the first step towards the complete phasing out of Russian gas from the European energy system, says NTNU professor Asgeir Tomasgard. He adds that “the reduction comes from Russia using the gas supply as a political crowbar”. – The consequence is presumably high energy prices and energy scarcity in Europe until the Russian gas can be replaced by LNG, electrification and energy efficiency. Both Norwegian gas and the energy transition are becoming even more important. WHEN HE MET HIM: In January, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre met the German Chancellor to get him to use Norwegian gas in a transition phase to green energy. Photo: MARKUS SCHREIBER / AP/NTB – Russia engages in blackmail The European crisis plan comes after Russia cut off gas supplies to the continent as a result of what the European Commission calls a “deliberate” attempt to use energy as a political weapon. . – Russia engages in blackmail, said President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen when she presented the plan. The plan has nevertheless been controversial and according to the website Politico, 12 (out of 27) member states have had various objections. – This is real Mission Impossible material. Even Tom Cruise would not be able to get through this, an EU diplomat told the newspaper. The Portuguese energy minister Joao Galamba said only a few days ago that he was “totally against” the plan. – The plan does not take into account the differences between the various countries, he said. NORD STREAM 2: The gas pipeline was supposed to secure the energy supply between Russia and Germany, but has since become a political embarrassment for the Germans. Photo: TOBIAS SCHWARZ / AFP – A disguised plan to help Germany Others have objected that the plan is for all practical purposes a disguised plan to help Germany out of an energy crisis they have themselves to thank for. Politico makes a point of this criticism coming as a kind of “thank you for last” from countries in southern Europe that have previously had to stand up to Germany in particular. On Monday, the Russian energy giant Gazprom announced that deliveries of gas to Germany will be reduced again. This time from 40 to 20 percent of full capacity. France, the Netherlands and Poland, on the other hand, have been preoccupied with protecting a larger portion of national autonomy in energy policy. The EU has decided that the gas storages must be 80 per cent full by November. A lower level may mean rationing of gas for the winter. Right now, gas storage facilities in Europe are around 66 percent full. According to the BBC, it may be difficult to reach the target of 80 percent filling. Sofie Marhaug (Raudt) in the energy committee at the Storting says the European crisis plan should be accompanied by a Norwegian crisis plan. – We see that the EU is taking steps to make itself less dependent on Russian gas, which in turn means that the European countries must save on electricity. This suggests that we must have a national crisis plan to ensure that the water storage is not drained, and to regulate prices in the future.
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