The city of Hanover will be the first big city to turn off its hot water. There will now be cold showers at swimming pools, outdoor pools, sports halls and gyms. In addition, public fountains are closed. The city’s town hall, museums and other sights will be without lights at night, writes the German online newspaper Bild. – The situation is unpredictable, says mayor Belit Onay. The city administration hopes to save 15 per cent in energy consumption by introducing a number of measures. Between 1 October and 31 March, municipal buildings must only be heated to a maximum of 20 degrees. Wash hands in cold water Mobile air conditioners and heaters must not be used Reduce electrical devices such as printers and refrigerators Close businesses between Christmas and New Year Kindergartens, schools, nursing homes and clinics will not be affected by the restrictions. In Munich, they have also introduced tough measures: With immediate effect, there is no hot water in municipal offices. The room temperature in the offices is reduced to a maximum of 19 degrees. Offices that are not in use are no longer heated at all. During the holidays, hot water is turned off at all schools that do not offer holiday accommodation. The lighting of municipal buildings such as the town hall on Marienplatz will be completely switched off. The lights have been on until 11 p.m. All heating systems in municipal buildings are maintained and checked for energy efficiency. Municipal fountains are turned off at night. Empty pools Leipzig and Nuremberg are also taking measures to tighten consumption. Due to the uncertain gas supply situation, the city of Leipzig wants, among other things, to lower the room temperature. Like Hanover, they also want to reduce energy consumption by 15 percent. The city of Nuremberg temporarily closes three of its four indoor swimming pools during the summer months. At the same time, the bathing season in Nuremberg’s outdoor pools will be extended until 25 September, writes the German newspaper. – We must prepare well in advance for possible restrictions in the gas supply, says Nuremberg mayor Marcus König (CSU), in a statement to the newspaper. Be prepared for a crisis The EU has been preparing for a full gas crisis for the winter for a few weeks. Earlier this month, the European Commission proposed that member states cut gas use by 15 percent. According to the plan, the cut was to be implemented from 1 August this year to 23 March next year. – We must prepare for the possibility of a complete stoppage in Russian gas supplies to Europe, and this is a likely scenario, stated the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at a press conference earlier in July. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, prepared the EU countries for gas cuts during the conference “Save gas for a safe winter” earlier this year. The picture was taken at a press conference afterwards. Photo: JOHN THYS / AFP But Germany already sees itself having to cut gas consumption. Germany is a major importer of Russian gas, and on Wednesday the capacity in the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline was reduced from 40 to 20 percent, after Russia’s Gazprom carried out an announced cut in delivery, writes NTB. The state-owned Russian energy company Gazprom announced on Monday that it would cut the supply of gas to 33 million cubic meters per day, about 20 percent of the pipeline’s capacity. Germany confirms on Wednesday that this has happened. Now only 20 percent of the capacity goes through these gas pipes to Nord Stream 1. The gas plant is pictured in Lubmin, Germany, on 8 March this year. Photo: HANNIBAL HANSCHKE / Reuters The war in Ukraine is a possible cause Gazprom blames the condition of one engine as the cause, but Germany’s Minister of Economy Robert Habeck rejects this explanation, writes NTB. – There is no technical reason for the deliveries to be reduced, Habeck has stated. – What we see here is in reality a power play, she adds. Spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, believes that it is the Western sanctions against Russia that are the underlying cause of the technical difficulties with the gas pipeline, writes NTB. – Gazprom is and will be a reliable guarantor of its obligations. But they cannot guarantee the pumping of gas if the imported parts cannot be maintained due to European sanctions, he said on Wednesday. .
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Turning off the lights in municipal buildings and introducing cold showers in Germany – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
