Thanks to the comparatively mild weather in Germany, natural gas is being stored again. The filling level in all storage units was 87.84 percent of the maximum amount on Christmas Eve, according to data from the European storage association GIE. It was therefore an increase of 0.37 points and the fourth increase in a row.

In mid-December there was permafrost in large parts of the country. This had a direct impact on the storage levels: According to the data, the level fell by more than one percentage point between December 12th and 15th. At the beginning of the month, the stores were still almost 98 percent full. Another cold wave is not in sight for the time being.

Since the supply stop by Russia, Germany has been trying to replace the gas from there with gas from other sources. New terminals for the import of liquefied natural gas should help. Nevertheless, the government and the Federal Network Agency keep calling on consumers and business to use gas sparingly so that it does not have to be rationed.

The storage tanks play an important role, especially in winter: they are filled before the heating season. The fill level then decreases until spring.