Germany and five other EU countries commit to solidarity as blackouts loom

Germany, Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on risk preparedness and solidarity in the electricity sector as the danger of blackouts becomes more realistic in light of the dwindling energy supplies coming from Russia.

The six countries signed the MoU ahead of the meeting of energy ministers that took place in Luxembourg on Monday (27 June) in accordance with the EU’s 2019 risk preparedness regulation.

“I have just signed a Memorandum of Understanding with our European, Eastern European colleagues that we want to help each other with energy security,” explained Robert Habeck, Germany’s vice-chancellor and minister for economy and climate.

The agreement, seen by EURACTIV, reads that the signatories “wish to confirm their intention to maintain and strengthen their cooperation on risk preparedness in the electricity sector”.

Heading into the next winter, with energy supplies from Russia fraught, the six governments are pre-coordinating their approach for the worst-case scenario.

Throughout the day, Habeck sought to push for additional agreements with his fellow energy ministers. 

“This morning and also just during the lunch break, we agreed on such preliminary agreements or key points in the area of electricity and then also gas with the Eastern European and now South-Eastern European neighbours,” he told reporters after lunch.

Keeping the situation in view

To facilitate and keep in touch, the countries aim to “bring together relevant representatives from ministries and experts in the field of electricity” to prepare for a situation where electricity is so sparse that it “may not be solved with market-based measures.”

These agreements will create another working group, where the countries are expected to ”regularly send their experts to (on- or offline) working level meeting to discuss the security of supply situation on a national and regional level”.

Even contact data of relevant personnel ought to be exchanged according to the agreement, which would see the relevant Slovak authority receive, for example, the phone number of Klaus Müller, the head of Germany’s federal network agency.

And then, in case of an imminent crisis, or when confronted with a crisis, the relevant ministries of the affected countries intend to inform each other of the situation, the measures taken and planned at the national level, and the possible regional measures identified.

Crisis mode

Measures being mentioned in case of an electricity crisis include: cross-border usage of reserve capacities and flexible loads, surveillance of the short-term security of electricity supply, exchange of information regarding saving appeals to the public, support with electric equipment, knowledge and expertise, usage of mobile generators, and exchange of information about demand disconnection plans

And while the countries agreed to go “beyond existing rules and measures for inter-TSO [grid operator] assistance,” the question of remuneration is immediately apparent.

The countries would work towards “reaching a financial arrangement for rules for fair and adequate compensation between countries.”

This would cover at least the cost of support and electricity provided, as well as “other reasonable costs” such as legal and settlement costs.

Germany already has bolstered its reserve fleet of coal power plants to brace for the worst, while Austria has backtracked on its 2020 exit from coal power.

Fearing Russian supply cuts, Berlin puts oil and coal power plants on standby

The German ministry for economy and climate action is ensuring that significant coal and oil power plant capacities are at the ready in case the country’s Russian gas supply is cut, according to a government plan seen by EURACTIV.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

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