Gas storage in Germany: Critical filling level causes concern!

Gas storage in Germany: Critical filling level causes concern!

What is the level of gas storage in Germany? The numbers currently show a fill level of 75.34% on October 26, 2025. This is a slight decrease of 0.05% compared to the previous day, but the situation is within general limits. Over the course of the year, the level has increased steadily, starting at 32.62% in May 2025 and rising to 76.73% in early October. Nevertheless, the current level is 14 percentage points below the average for the years 2017 to 2021, which ndr.de reports.

However, the gas storage facilities in Germany are not just numbers and percentages. To get a feel for the topic, it helps to know that Germany has around 40 gas storage sites with a total volume of around 23 billion cubic meters. These gas storage facilities are designed to cover the national gas demand for around two cold winter months, as allgaeuer-zeitung.de reports.

Level development and consumption

Given current levels, it is important to know that gas consumption in Germany is expected to be 844 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024, which is 3.5% more than last year. The distribution of gas consumption is particularly noteworthy: 61% goes to industrial customers, while 39% is used by households and businesses. The decline in gas consumption from 2018 to 2021 has fallen by 14%, showing that the population and industry are increasingly using energy sources more efficiently. Gas-powered heaters in particular are widespread - around 56% of apartments in Germany are heated with gas.

One thing is certain: the legislation sets clear filling level requirements for gas storage facilities. The gas storage facilities must be at least 75% full by September 1st, the minimum is 85% on October 1st and finally 95% on November 1st. The challenges of meeting these requirements should not be underestimated, this becomes all the more clear in view of the colder winters and the high gas consumption in the industry, according to ndr.de.

Market development and geopolitical factors

An interesting aspect is that the EU plans to stop accepting gas imports from Russia by the end of 2027. Norway has already replaced Russia as Germany's most important gas supplier. This is also related to the new liquid gas terminals, which have been in operation since 2023 and efficiently support the German gas storage facilities.

The clock is ticking in Germany and demand for gas remains high. With an average gas consumption of 16.5 TWh per week in 2024, it should not be forgotten that this value fluctuates greatly depending on the weather and season - in winter it can quickly reach over 30 TWh per week. While the gas storage facilities in Rehden and other locations are currently barely full, the market remains stable as the country is prepared for winter. Overall, the solid supply chain and constant level control ensure that Germany is well supplied even in the cold season allgaeuer-zeitung.de.