Energy rationing “could be a reality” across the European Union this winter, according to European commissioner Mairead McGuinness.
Speaking in Brussels on Tuesday, Ms McGuinness said the European Union had relied too heavily on Russian fossil fuels, particularly gas and oil, which was a “weakness of our system”.
“We entered January not realising that by February we would be really alarmed about our lack of resilience when it comes to energy. We rely on Russian fossil fuels. So we’re looking for alternative supplies now,” she said.
Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia had provided nearly 40 per cent of the European Union’s gas supply and 55 per cent of Germany’s.
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As Russia cuts gas supplies to more European countries, some governments have appealed to citizens to conserve energy, and Germany is looking towards coal to fill the gap.
While energy rationing “could be a reality” in the EU it was something the European Commission was “trying to avoid”, Ms McGuinness said.
Member states would be “rather naive not to plan for the worst” this winter, she said.
Ireland had “particular issues to address” and there was “a concern” about Ireland’s energy security because of tight supply.
“We’re urging member states to ramp up investment in renewables. Ireland doesn’t rely on gas from Russia but relies on gas from other places. But if the overall market is disturbed, which it is, both by Russia’s own actions and indeed by our sanctions, then there are consequences around availability.”
Europe was “never going to be immune to pain” from sanctions imposed on Russia, the commissioner said.
“When you’re in a crisis of this enormity you have to look at what is pragmatic ... If we did nothing today, we would be found very wanting by the winter, but we’re doing everything we can around storage and alternative supplies.”
There would need to be “targeted measures” to support the vulnerable this winter, such as fuel allowances, she said.
“You can’t discount that the winter could be difficult, particularly if we don’t prepare well enough now.”
All member states will have their own national plan for potential fuel supply interruptions, a European Commission spokesman said.
These differ country to country, but in general, individual households and public services such as hospitals would be priorities and protected by national plans, the spokesman said.
Speaking on the prospects of resolving the dispute between the EU and Britain over the Northern Ireland protocol, Ms McGuinness said she was “concerned it’s not looking like it’ll be resolved in the medium term”.
“That causes problems everywhere. Six years after Brexit, we have huge unfinished business. We can solve these problems, but not unilaterally,” she said.
