EU talks with partners about gas supply to bloc

Jan 22, Reuters - The European Union is talking with partners about the potential for increasing gas supplies to the bloc, Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said after a meeting with European energy ministers in France on Saturday.

A shortage of gas flows from Russia has caused energy prices to soar in Europe, and has been blamed for the gas supply crunch in Europe. Moscow denies manipulating supplies.

Simson said she would attend conferences in Azerbaijan and Washington in February to discuss ways for increasing gas deliveries to Europe.

She told reporters that the EU's gas storage levels are significantly lower than usual at this time of the year.

Simson said that the ministers meeting in the city of Amiens had discussed the uncertainties in the market caused by the Ukraine crisis and significant falls in flows from Russia in recent months.

Simson said that Europe has a robust, well diversified and resilient gas infrastructure and clear procedures of solidarity in case of emergencies.

We need to remain vigilant, improve our risk-preparedness and strengthen solidarity between the member states. If Russia attacks Ukraine, Germany may be ready to discuss halting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will transport Russian gas to Germany bypassing Ukraine, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz this week.

Simson highlighted a proposal presented by the Commission in December, which was designed to revise gas supply regulations to improve coordination among member states over gas storage.

Simson said that the goal is to enable a more efficient use of storage capacities and to ensure adequate gas storage levels. It's the only solution to our dependence on fossil fuels. The green transition is about to be completed.