That has already caused problems this winter. The Russian state-owned company left the gas storage largely empty, threatening shortages. Gazprom is now suspected of having deliberately kept reserves in the Netherlands low last year, in view of the approaching war.
“I don’t know the exact reason, but I have a suspicion that it has been thought about in advance,” says energy minister Rob Jetten.
Complicated
According to de Volkskrant several options are being considered to avoid the same problem next year, one of which is nationalization of the storage. When asked, Jetten does not want to say which options the cabinet is investigating, but does not rule out nationalization either.
He emphasizes that it is important that the storage is well stocked next winter. “We are in discussions to get that done.” He does call it ‘complicated legal negotiations’.
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Quick clarity
The Dutch state cannot simply say what should be done with the underground gas reservoir. The Netherlands only owns 40 percent of the storage. The other 60 percent is owned by Taqa of Abu Dhabi. And 40 percent of the storage capacity is leased to the Russian Gazprom.
Taking that space from Gazprom is apparently not so easy from a legal point of view. It would be much simpler if the Netherlands had full control over the reservoir, but then Taqa would have to be bought out. The Abu Dhabi company did not respond to questions today.
Minister Jetten expects that a solution will be found ‘within a few weeks’.
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