EU gas supply "safe for this winter" but must brace for upcoming one

WORLD  12 December 2022 - 19:28

Europe was "safe for this winter" in regard to its gas supply and is now preparing for the next one.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen stated this while attending a news conference in Brussels on December 12, 2022, as Reuters reported.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the EU was able to avert a severe gas shortage amid Russia cutting gas deliveries this year thanks to an emergency EU measure to fill storages, very well-timed mild temperatures throughout the Union and high gas prices that dampened demand for fuel.

While the EU is set for this winter, the IEA urged governments to act faster to save energy and expand renewables should Russia cut supplies even further.

The potential shortage could be averted by expanding subsidies and policies to save energy by renovating draughty homes and replacing fossil fuel-based heating with heat pumps, while pressing ahead with the EU's plans to massively expand renewable energy, the IEA said.

Caliber.Az