MILANO – The International Energy Agency issues a warning to Europe: get ready for one complete break of gas supplies from Russia during the winter. Moscow would be ready to use energy leverage more and more to apply further international pressure. And already the decreases in deliveries, experienced in recent days, are a first step in that direction, as well as a way to slow down the filling of stocks by the countries of the Old Continent.
Gas, Europe is studying a ceiling of 80-90 euros against Putin’s blackmail
by our correspondent Claudio Tito
In the aftermath of the meeting of the Emergency Technical Committee on Mite gas, which decided not to raise the alert level in Italy, and in a day full of consultations between the minister Roberto Cingolani and the companies in the sector, precisely with the aim of defining how to pump more gas into our reserves, the head of the IEA, Fatih Birolhe used alarmist tones in conversation with the Financial Times. He explained that Russia’s decision to cut gas supplies to European countries last week could be a harbinger of further cuts as Moscow seeks to gain “leverage” during its war with Ukraine. “Europe should be ready in case the flow of gas from Russia is completely cut off,” he told the City newspaper. “The closer we get to winter, the more we understand Russia’s objectives,” he added, explaining that from her point of view, the cuts are “aimed at preventing Europe from filling up its stocks, increasing pressure from Moscow ahead of the months. winter “.
Il Ft he recalls that the international agency, funded mainly by OECD members, was among the first to point the finger at Moscow and its plans to manipulate gas supplies to Europe in view of the invasion of Ukraine. For Birol an increase in coal production it is admissible in this emergency phase, and the worst impact in terms of CO2 can be offset by accelerating the European transition to non-fossil sources. But it risks not being enough in the event of a deeper tap-squeeze: for Birol at that point, gas rationing could be a necessary step.
From Holland to Italy, Europe is rekindling old coal
by Luca Fraioli
In Italy, as mentioned above, an extension of the package of measures is also expected for the third quarter contain the prices of electricity and gas, from the social bonus to the elimination of system charges. The extension of the package of rules, currently in force until June 30, should arrive with a Council of Ministers, scheduled for the afternoon. No increases in the alert level are planned for now. According to the Committee, which met yesterday, the current level of early warning allows all necessary measures to be taken, entrusted only to energy companies and not to the state: increase in imports, stop to interruptible supplies, use of alternative fuels. The Ctem has also agreed to buy more coal, to have a supply of fuel in view of the embargo on the Russian one in August. To date, the situation of Italian storage is good (we are at 55%), despite the 15% cut in supply from Russia: for the Mite it remains possible to reach the 90% target at the end of the year. For encourage the pumping of gas into reservesCingolani pushes for a mechanism that allows Sace to strengthen the financial coverage on the commitments of the companies that pay dearly for the gas to be stored.