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Germany moved last month to stage two of its three-tier
emergency gas plan after Russia reduced deliveries via the Nord
Stream 1 pipeline -- a step before the government rations fuel
consumption.
The government is appealing to citizens and companies to cut
energy consumption and help the country fill its gas storage
capacity by winter but cities are also considering measures if
gas runs out.
"In an acute gas shortage, warm water could only be made
available at certain times of the day in an emergency," Hamburg
Senator for the Environment Jens Kerstan was quoted as saying by
Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Saturday.
Kerstan said the city could also consider a general reduction of
the maximum room temperature in the district's heating network.
According to the federal emergency plan, households and critical
institutions such as hospitals will be prioritised over industry
in the third stage but that might not be possible everywhere in
Hamburg for technical reasons.
"It will not be possible everywhere to differentiate between
commercial and private customers in the event of a gas
shortage," Kerstan added.
As Germany rushes to find alternative gas routes and supplies
with LNG as a possibility, the senator warned that a temporary
liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Hamburg would not be
operational until mid next year at the earliest.
"In the course of July we will know whether and at which
location a temporary LNG terminal in Hamburg is feasible," he
said.
Germany's first two temporary LNG terminals in Wilhelmshaven and
Brunsbuettel should be put into operation at the end of this
year, the newspaper reported, citing the economy ministry.
(Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Susan Fenton)
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