Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 11, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
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Germany's gas hub is in talks to boost storage levels amid high demand and low reserves, with consultations planned at an energy event in Essen.
ESSEN, Germany (Reuters) - Germany's gas trading hub plans to hold talks with traders at an energy industry event in Essen later on Tuesday to seek ways to boost flagging gas reserves, it said.
Trading Hub Europe's (THE) proposed consultations during the E-World of Energy trade fair are in response to concern that storage caverns may not be sufficiently refilled by next winter because a reversal in seasonal price trends has made summer refilling less attractive.
The consultations are purely an information-gathering exercise and not related to any tendering process, THE emphasised.
German gas storage capacity is the highest in Europe but sites are now 49% full, down from 72% at the same time last year, data from Gas Infrastructure Europe shows.
Cold winter weather has boosted demand and helped to drive European front-month prices close to two-year highs, with storage caverns depleting faster than in recent winters.
Summer price projections, meanwhile, suggest there will be no let up in the face of factors including increased global competition for liquefied natural gas (LNG) since Russia halted exports to western markets.
THE, in a government-appointed function as auctioneer and administrator of a quarter of German storage space, needs to find marketing and subsidising tools, it said last month.
(Reporting by Vera Eckert; Editing by David Goodman)
The main topic is Germany's efforts to boost gas storage levels amid concerns of low reserves and high demand.
Storage levels are a concern due to lower reserves compared to last year and increased demand from cold winters.
Consultations are being held to gather information and explore marketing and subsidizing tools for storage.
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