Germany After Putin's gas stop: The big city turns off the hot water

 

The electric panic: Switched off and cold showers

Of: Emmanuel Silva 

Published: Today 00.30 

Updated: Today 06.22 

NEWS 

Panic is growing in Europe after Putin made real the threat to cut off gas supplies. 

German Hanover becomes the first city to take drastic measures to save on electricity. 

Cold showers, switched-off fountains and sky-high electricity prices await. 

 Concerns among European leaders have grown since Russian energy giant Gazprom announced it was sharply reducing the flow of gas to the continent. 

Hanover in Germany will become the first major city in Europe to ban hot water and central heating in public buildings to save on electricity, reports the Daily Mail.

During the summer, the heat wave paralyzed both Germany and the rest of Europe. At the same time, there is a fear of what will happen when the autumn cold sets in, which has prompted the authorities to act already now. 

And the measures are spreading to other cities. In Berlin, the lights around 200 historical monuments and municipal buildings were turned off on Wednesday evening. While Nuremberg announces it is closing three of its four public bathhouses, the Guardian reports. 

Warning for sky-high electricity bills 

The drastic energy measures are being introduced at the same time as Germany's population is being warned that sky-high electricity bills and extensive gas rationing measures are to be expected. 

In Hanover, the hot water is turned off in public gyms, swimming pools and indoor swimming pools. During the evening, the city's streets will remain dark as the street lights are switched off. And there won't be any bubbling water in the city's fountains for a while either. 

According to the mayor Belit Onay, the city is forced to reduce its energy consumption by 15 percent due to the gas shortage. Which is the reason why the drastic energy measures are introduced. 

Dark in Hanover. Archive image. Photo: Wikimedia commons 

Affects private individuals 

The decision to turn off the hot water and heating of public buildings will apply between April and September each year. During the remaining parts of the year, the temperature indoors must not exceed 20 degrees. 

The decision will also affect individual households. Namely, the city will introduce a ban on the use of portable air conditioners and elements. 

No plans to protect households from shock price increases have been presented. The focus instead seems to be on saving the energy companies from bankruptcy. 

- We don't know what the gas will cost in November, but the bitter truth is that it is definitely several hundred euros per household, says Germany's minister of economy Robert Habeck, who himself announces that he now takes shorter showers.

Vladimir Putin. Photo: Mikhail Klimentyev / AP 

The EU's response to the gas shutdown

The EU sees Russia's gas stop as a punishment for the support the Union has given to Ukraine during the war. 

As a result, the EU countries have agreed to reduce gas consumption by 15 percent. 

However, Vladimir Putin claims that he does not want to create energy chaos, but that it all depends on "necessary repair work" of the gas pipelines.

Germany is one of the countries most dependent on Russian gas. But other countries are also hit hard. About 40 percent of the EU countries' total gas consumption comes from Russia. 

But the reduced gas supply has also pushed up electricity prices in countries that are not particularly dependent on Russian gas. Britain fears electricity prices could rise to £500 a month. Which has upset many people as the country hardly imports any gas from Russia at all.