Appeals for Germans to limit their power use because of the anticipated fuel shortages seem to be falling on deaf ears.

A key regulator warned on Thursday as it reported a boost in gas usage, just as Germany is trying to save up for the winter.

“Gas consumption also rose too rapidly last week,” said Klaus Müller, head of the Federal Network Agency.

The agency recorded an average of 618-gigawatt hours of power use among households and small businesses during the week of September 26, a 10 per cent hike in average consumption at that time of the year between 2018 and 2021.

It said industrial consumption was also too greedy, noting that the 1,370-gigawatt hours consumed that week were about two per cent higher than last year’s average.

Mr Müller said there would be a gas emergency in the coming winter if households, businesses and industry don’t find a way to reduce consumption by about 20 per cent.

“The situation could get very serious if our gas consumption is not significantly reduced,” he added.

Households and small businesses account for about 40 per cent of gas consumption in Germany, with industry taking up the rest. 

(dpa/NAN)