Chaos in Europe on the Energy Front

Sept. 18, 2022 (EIRNS)—Italy’s La Repubblica reported on Sept. 17 that Italy is concerned that France may stop exporting electricity to them as winter approaches, according to an account in RT. France’s grid operator RTE warned in its winter outlook report that reductions in nuclear energy output may require it to shut down its interconnectors to Italy and the U.K. However, France’s energy transition ministry stated that “France reaffirms its commitment to reciprocal solidarity regarding gas and electricity with all our European neighbors. Fully functioning electric interconnections are a priority for collective supply security,” according to Bloomberg.

In Germany, the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung newspaper reported on Sept. 16 that the country’s local public utilities association, VKU, was forecasting that electricity prices this year could jump by up to 60%.

And in Moldova, the government has opened a special website: “The site provides information about the nearest forestry, thus facilitating the process of providing the population with firewood for heating,” the press service of the Moldovan Cabinet of Ministers said in a statement. Moldova is facing a catastrophe: Gas prices have jumped fivefold during 2022; overall inflation is more than 30%; and the government is urging the population to reduce gas consumption as much as possible. Moldova also has an Oct. 1 deadline to negotiate debt repayment with Russia’s Gazprom, or it could see its gas supplies cut altogether.