Hanover becomes first big city to ban hot water in public buildings in response to Russian gas crisis
Hanover first big city to ban hot water and central heating in public buildings
Lights to be switched off at night on major buildings like museums and town hall
Germans told to expect higher electricity bills and sweeping gas rationing
Move is a response to Vladimir Putin's gas squeeze which has Europe panicking
Russian state energy giant Gazprom cut gas supplies to Germany to 20 per cent .

The Germany city of Hanover has become the first big city in Europe to ban hot water and central heating in public buildings in response to Vladimir Putin's weaponizing of gas supplies.

The drastic step comes as Germans have been told to expect sky high electricity bills and sweeping gas rationing measures that will affect their day-to-day lives.

In a sign of things to come, Hanover, the capital of Lower Saxony in the north west of the country, will cut off the hot water in public buildings, swimming pools, sports halls and gyms.

Other desperate gas-saving measures include switching off public fountains and blacking out night-time lights on major buildings such as the town hall and museums.

The city's mayor, Belit Onay, spoke of an 'imminent gas shortage' that meant they had to reduce the city's energy consumption by 15 per cent.

The plans call for shutting off heating within public buildings between April and September each year, and thermostats set at just 20C (68F) for the rest of the year, although there will be some exemptions.

There will also be a ban on portable air conditioners, heaters and radiators among the general populace as the average German begins to pay a price for standing up to the Russian dictator.

The panic among European states - especially Germany - will likely come as music to Putin's ears, as he is seen to be cutting energy supplies in retaliation for countries that have supported Ukraine after he invaded the country.

Germany, like most of Europe, has been enjoying a hot summer which should soften the blow of the cold showers, but public officials are introducing the measures now in fear of what awaits them when the season turns.

Gazprom, the Russian state energy giant, has been giving European leaders sleepless nights by disrupting the flow of gas via its Nord Stream 1 pipe line.

They cut the flow to 40 per cent in June, citing maintenance issues, and this week they reduced the gas supply through the pipe to just 20 per cent.

These reductions, which EU energy chief Kadri Simson dismissed as 'politically motivated', have seen energy bills soar, governments struggle to fill gas storage facilities and energy-intensive heavy industries wondering if they can keep the factories running.

Russia denies that it is deliberately throttling supply to cause pain and instability in Europe, but few doubt that it is a deliberate ploy to punish what it calls 'unfriendly countries.'

In response, European Union countries agreed to a controversial, bloc-wide 15 per cent reduction in gas usage on Tuesday that is hoped will reduce the pressure on European countries most vulnerable to Russian energy blackmail.

Germany is one of the countries most reliant on Russia for its gas supply. The country has been racing to fill its gas storage reservoirs ahead of the winter.

It has managed to reduce its dependence on Russian gas from around half before the invasion of Ukraine to a quarter

Plans to shield households from shocking price hikes are quietly being shelved in an effort to protect energy companies from absorbing the costs themselves and going bust.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...risis.html

"When you lay down with dogs...you get fleas." I really have no sympathy for any country in bed with the Russians.

Euro-trash girls with hairy armpits and BO.

Sounds like Portland with sauerbraten.

(07-30-2022 08:50 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  "When you lay down with dogs...you get fleas." I really have no sympathy for any country in bed with the Russians.

I have sympathy, but the people of Germany — and all of the EU countries — will simply have to decide if they are going to be serious about energy independence (and a lot of of other issues, too) or not.

Hunh.

It’s been a while, but it seems to me someone tried to tell them this reliance on Russia for fuel likely wasn’t a good idea. Ah well, hope they still have their fur lined hats handy…

(07-30-2022 09:54 AM)JMUDunk Wrote:  Hunh.

It’s been a while, but it seems to me someone tried to tell them this reliance on Russia for fuel likely wasn’t a good idea. Ah well, hope they still have their fur lined hats handy…

Oh well, perhaps they will learn something from this. But I'm betting no.

This is what the Ukraine bullshite has always been about

Russia wont kiss the EU's (germans) arse so now they are a victim

Its gonna be funny when people finally figure out there are no good guys in this.

Frick germany and the EU.

BRICS countries realize we need cheap energy

Western countries have to come to the realization that sunshine, wind, rainbows, and unicorns aren't going to get the job done

(07-30-2022 10:42 AM)solohawks Wrote:  BRICS countries realize we need cheap energy

Western countries have to come to the realization that sunshine, wind, rainbows, and unicorns aren't going to get the job done

Time to get to work figuring out how to spin up those coal and nuclear plants that were shut down.

While the so called civilized Western world spends trillions of dollars on ideals that might or might not work well enough. Not only spend the trillions but will cost each of us more out of pocket.

You have countries like Russia, China, India, along with other 3rd world countries, getting their power from gas, oil, coal. Even if it helps the earth by Western countries developing these "safer" power, by how much can it actually help when the most populist and most of the countries on this list will still be using...coal, gas, oil?

There's no stopping this world from destruction, the only question is when it happens. If that day comes 100, 200, 500, million or even a billion years from now. Does it really make a difference if the trillions upon trillions of dollars we spend adds 20,50,100 or even 200 years to that time? Hell with in that time frame some volcano is most likely going to add more toxics than the trillions of dollars stop.

(07-30-2022 12:35 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  While the so called civilized Western world spends trillions of dollars on ideals that might or might not work well enough. Not only spend the trillions but will cost each of us more out of pocket.

You have countries like Russia, China, India, along with other 3rd world countries, getting their power from gas, oil, coal. Even if it helps the earth by Western countries developing these "safer" power, by how much can it actually help when the most populist and most of the countries on this list will still be using...coal, gas, oil?

There's no stopping this world from destruction, the only question is when it happens. If that day comes 100, 200, 500, million or even a billion years from now. Does it really make a difference if the trillions upon trillions of dollars we spend adds 20,50,100 or even 200 years to that time? Hell with in that time frame some volcano is most likely going to add more toxics than the trillions of dollars stop.

It is not now nor has it ever been the goal of all this crap to help our planet. But you're a smart guy and you already know that.

What does it matter. Euros don't bathe anyway.

(07-30-2022 08:50 AM)Fo Shizzle Wrote:  "When you lay down with dogs...you get fleas." I really have no sympathy for any country in bed with the Russians.

Where did you suggest Germany get its fuel before the Ukrainian invasion?

(07-30-2022 11:50 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(07-30-2022 10:42 AM)solohawks Wrote:  BRICS countries realize we need cheap energy

Western countries have to come to the realization that sunshine, wind, rainbows, and unicorns aren't going to get the job done

Time to get to work figuring out how to spin up those coal and nuclear plants that were shut down.

We need to get back on the nuke train ourselves.

Trump-“Don’t be compromised trusting Russia for your energy needs.”

Sloe- “Yeah, I approve that other pipeline.”

Elections have larger consequences than just mean tweets.
And don’t forget the left will blame everything on Trump when (if) this war spreads to the rest of Europe and the world.

(07-30-2022 10:15 AM)shere khan Wrote:  This is what the Ukraine bullshite has always been about

Russia wont kiss the EU's (germans) arse so now they are a victim

Its gonna be funny when people finally figure out there are no good guys in this.

Frick germany and the EU.

No, Russia definitely won’t kiss EU butt. The main reason it is (or ever was?) a mistake for Europe to use so much Russian oil is the fact that Europe wants to manipulate and bend Russian to Europes will like they can most countries of the world. That doesn’t work if you are dependent on them for anything and they have a strong will.

Even after all of sanctions on every front, only recently does it appear that Russia may not provide more gas. On the reliability front, Europe is an unreliable customer by constantly threatening to stop buying Russian oil. Russia never threatened to turn off the gas to Europe until Europe literally held the machinery that pumps the gas hostage while being repaired. After that it’s probably game over. Russia has better customers they can sell to who are happy to pay in Rubles.

This is what Europe gets for taking its foreign policy cues from the US.

Germans tend to start World Wars when they get testy.