German Gas Crisis…Chancellor Merz Allegedly Bans Gas Debate Ahead of Elections!

From the NoTricksZone

By P Gosselin

It’s not even mid February, and Germany’s gas storage buffer is already down to 25.5% full, and faces rationing. 

LNG Supply Blocked By Sea Ice

German authorities hope to avert a supply shortage by importing gas from the Netherlands and Norway, and shipments of LNG. However, according to Blackout News, the LNG terminal on the island of Rügen is currently out of operation due to a thick layer of ice in the Prorer Wiek and the port of Mukran. Because the shipping channel is no longer safe to navigate, LNG tankers are unable to enter or leave the terminal.

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) reports that wind is pushing the ice together, narrowing the channels. Additionally, navigation buoys have been displaced or pushed under the ice, making safe passage nearly impossible for large tankers.

Critically Low Storage Levels

In an Apollo News interview with Stefan Spiegelsberger, several critical factors are highlighted that threaten the German gas supply.

Spiegelsberger points out that gas storage levels are already very low (approx. 25.5% as of February 10) and, with a daily withdrawal rate of about 0.7% per day, they are rapidly approaching the critical limit of 20%. Below this mark, the pressure in the storage facilities drops so significantly that sufficient withdrawal becomes technically difficult, which can lead to a gas shortage, especially during cold snaps.

Consequence Of Coal, Nuclear Phaseout

Another central problem is that since the shutdown of nuclear power plants, Germany has had to use significantly more gas for electricity generation, thus diverting large amounts of gas away from the heating and industrial markets, emptying storage facilities faster than in previous years.

Germany’s energy woes were compounded by the country’s move away from coal and nuclear power as part as its transition to green energies. According to Spiegelsperger, “We have switched from nuclear and coal now mainly to gas; every day we produce an average of between 15 and 20 GW with gas-fired power plants, which naturally causes the problem that we are now in this—perhaps soon to be—gas shortage situation…”

Merz Bans Gas Debate!

According to the YouTube channel by Alexander Raue, the situation in Germany is so dismal that Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reportedly issued an official ban on debating the current gas crisis until the end of March in order to avoid negatively affecting the ongoing election campaigns.

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strativarius
February 12, 2026 2:25 am

I’ll let Felis sapiens do the talking…

Bryan A
Reply to  strativarius
February 12, 2026 5:55 am

If they have just over 25.5% and are drawing down at 0.7% daily and have pressure issues at <20% they have about 8 days of supply left before a lack of pressure causes issues.
Whooda thunk that Global Warming causes ice floe issues in winter time northern ports?

strativarius
Reply to  Bryan A
February 12, 2026 5:59 am

Like the Cat said, You got to think ahead, only they don’t.

In that scene the Cat got the last of the anaesthetic – for later. The human hadn’t thought of it.

The Germans haven’t thought it through. Denying any debate is exactly what our Labour government would do.

Bryan A
Reply to  strativarius
February 12, 2026 2:13 pm

They support rigorous debate … just with like minded Liberals.

February 12, 2026 2:51 am

Who does this ban on talking about gas shortages apply to?

To Mertz’ political party, or all of Germany?

Reply to  Tom Abbott
February 12, 2026 3:28 am

To Gouvernement members and the parties part of it.
And the ban is not only about the gas problem, but about all what’s “declared” as problem and need discussions.

SxyxS
Reply to  Krishna Gans
February 12, 2026 3:59 am

Real problems = No discussions

Faked problems = forced Solutions.

Sparta Nova 4
Reply to  SxyxS
February 12, 2026 7:50 am

That is the plan.

2hotel9
Reply to  Tom Abbott
February 12, 2026 4:14 am

Nobody. It just makes the gas crisis him and his Party create the ONLY subject EVERYONE will talk about.

Bryan A
Reply to  Tom Abbott
February 12, 2026 5:59 am

Chancellor Merz needs to be relabeled
Chancellor Whooda Thunkit

Bruce Cobb
February 12, 2026 3:03 am

Blind Freddie could see this coming. The Stupid, it burns.

Scissor
Reply to  Bruce Cobb
February 12, 2026 3:59 am

The irony of sea ice blocking LNG deliveries is poetic.

Reply to  Scissor
February 12, 2026 4:52 am

I thought it odd that an LNG terminal was built in a place that froze regularly!!

Reply to  Steve Richards
February 12, 2026 4:58 am

They assumed it would never freeze again in a warming world.

J Boles
Reply to  Joseph Zorzin
February 12, 2026 5:50 am

Remember that comment a guy made about giving a machine gun to a child as being the same as giving cheap energy to people? Well, letting Leftists rule the country/world is like giving a machine gun to a child who wants all others dead.

SxyxS
Reply to  J Boles
February 12, 2026 8:41 am

That was Paul Ehrlich iirc, and he wrote a book about wanting others dead called Ecoscience.

Though he should have been the least person in history to write this book as according to his own predictions mankind would be massively decimated in half a dozen different ways (including global warming and ice age)

Bruce Cobb
February 12, 2026 3:41 am

to avoid negatively affecting the ongoing election campaigns.

Yes, that’s why. Uh-huh. Riiiiiiiight.

Leon de Boer
February 12, 2026 3:52 am
Reply to  Leon de Boer
February 12, 2026 4:50 am

That article completely misses the point. It clings to the fantasy that EVs will “become valuable” once the UK squanders even more resources building more worse-than-useless wind and solar to change the “mix” of power sources, as if it can “replace” fossil fuel plants (which it cannot, no matter how many they build).

Oh, and also clings to the fantasy that EVs are “lower emissions” anyway, since natural gas produces less “emissions” than gasoline or diesel. Conveniently ignoring transmission losses and fossil fuel backup for the “renewables” portion.

2hotel9
February 12, 2026 4:12 am

What a moron, he has just ensured that EVERYONE in Germany will talk about nothing but the gas crisis him and his Party created.

strativarius
Reply to  2hotel9
February 12, 2026 4:16 am

The Streisand effect.

KevinM
Reply to  2hotel9
February 12, 2026 7:45 am

What if that’s what he wanted?

gezza1298
Reply to  KevinM
February 12, 2026 12:55 pm

That is to grant him far more intelligence than he possesses.

2hotel9
Reply to  KevinM
February 13, 2026 3:47 am

No, he wants to silence everyone on everything. And that ensures everyone will continue to talk about everything. Hell, these baby natzis can’t even silence twitter.

February 12, 2026 4:13 am

So same no-news and fear mongering. Indoktrination by repetition? What I say three times is true?

strativarius
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 4:24 am

Indoktrination by repetition? What I say three times is true?

Lets see…

Energy bills in Britain will be cut by £300 
Energy bills in Britain will be cut by £300 
Energy bills in Britain will be cut by £300 

Ed Miliband – Election Campaign 2024

Did it work?

It looks as if £300 will end up being to Ed Miliband what 45 minutes was to Tony Blair Spectator

I’m assuming you can understand the comparison.

Reply to  strativarius
February 12, 2026 5:23 am

Did it work?

No, and it didn’t work for wuwt.

strativarius
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 5:38 am

Or so you allege. Posting an example would have served you better.

Our bills in the UK have gone up over £400, not reduced by £300, since Labour came to power and it’s going to get worse by the year.

UK electricity will cost more in 2030 than after invasion of Ukraine, warns CentricaFT

It isn’t working for your faith.

KevinM
Reply to  strativarius
February 12, 2026 7:47 am

Waiting to see how the USA press makes Ukraine “Trump’s war”.

Dave Andrews
Reply to  strativarius
February 12, 2026 8:54 am

It is getting even worse.

Mad Ed has given the go ahead for 190 onshore wind and solar farm projects over the next four years. This will require huge upgrades to the grid the cost of which will be passed on to people’s energy bills. He’s certainly living up to his mad epithet.

Leon de Boer
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 5:44 am

Doesn’t work for you either little troll

Renewables will be cheap and reliable
Renewables will be cheap and reliable
Renewables will be cheap and reliable

Bryan A
Reply to  Leon de Boer
February 12, 2026 7:10 pm

There’s no place like Nome
There’s no place like Nome
There’s no place like Nome


2hotel9
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 4:26 am

Same lies spewed yet again. You really are a one trick prostitute.

George Thompson
Reply to  2hotel9
February 12, 2026 5:59 am

Prostitute is such a polite usage. Whore is a better choice…

Reply to  George Thompson
February 12, 2026 6:30 am

Compared to fear mongers their contribution to society is positive.

MarkW
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:47 am

Is the party paying you to make a fool of yourself?

Sparta Nova 4
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:56 am

Compared to you, they are angels.

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 5:31 pm

Excuse me? The entire strategy of the climate change promoters is absolute fear-mongering. Oceans will boil! Forests will burn! People will die! Famine! Mass extinctions! Climate refugees! Cities underwater! Poor starving polar bears!

What is being discussed here is not arm-waving fear-mongering of what will happen in a hundred years. It’s an extrapolation of the short-term consequences based on current natural gas usage. You must only refuel (or recharge) your vehicle when it’s out of fuel. Looking at the needle on your gas gauge moving toward the ‘E’ is just fear-mongering.

Bryan A
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:11 pm

If you discount the disease and corruption brought with them.

leefor
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:45 pm

Well that is nothing to clap about. Shouldn’t have used caps. 😉

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 9:02 pm

Compared to fear mongers their contribution to society is positive.

Well said.

Gotta agree with you on this one, the CAGW crowd really are fear mongers. They’re contribution to society is negative.

2hotel9
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 13, 2026 3:52 am

You wish you were a fearmonger. All you actually are is a spewer of lies.

2hotel9
Reply to  George Thompson
February 13, 2026 3:50 am

Just tryin’ ta keep dis a classy joint! 😉

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 4:54 am

The German government has secretly classified gas storage levels as critical.

While the government and media remain silent about the looming gas shortage, and the Federal Network Agency repeatedly issues mantras of reassurance, the federal government has classified the gas storage levels as critical and is attempting to respond. The seriousness of the situation is being concealed from the public due to upcoming elections.

Reply to  Krishna Gans
February 12, 2026 5:20 am

anti-spiegel.ru? A russian disinformation site? Awesome source. 10/10 no notes.

strativarius
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 5:41 am

Ah, so you are a Russia Today (RT) man….

AleaJactaEst
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 6:03 am

How’s the weather in Tel Aviv?

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 6:47 am

The author is German.
Instead talking about the message you prefer killing the mesenger.

Sparta Nova 4
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:58 am

“anti-spiegel.ru?”

I recall you quoting Russia disinformation sites over and over again.

Flame Warrior!

Reply to  Sparta Nova 4
February 12, 2026 8:17 am

Really? Would be new to me. But you can just write anything I guess?

Sparta Nova 4
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 11:21 am

I acknowledge the possibility I have you confused with someone else.
I recall too many times when Ukraine was slipped into the conversation that a poster would constantly reference Russian news sites.

If I conflated you with someone else, I apologize.

“But you can just write anything I guess?”

It seems this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Bruce Cobb
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 5:40 am

Sounds like MylosernameRetarded can’t handle the truth.

Reply to  Bruce Cobb
February 12, 2026 6:32 am

I just can’t handle boring repetition. I want new fun reality deniying articles. Not the same one every week.

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 8:00 am

All your postings are boring repetitions aren’t they? 🥱 🫣

Sparta Nova 4
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 8:01 am

You want fun. We get that.

Your Flame Warrior sophistry is purposeful for inflating your ego and self-amusement.

Two suggestions.

  1. If you do not like the article, don’t read it.
  2. If you have something of value, write an article and get it published.

For now, we see nothing intelligent coming from you. You could put forth some effort and change that perception.

You won’t, of course. Too easy going with self-gratification (aka Flame Warrior).

MarkW
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:46 am

How socialist of you. Since nothing bad has happened yet, you assume that nothing bad can happen.
Besides, the party says everything is all right, therefore everything is all right. Anyone who disagrees is a racist, sexist, Nazi.

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:50 am

No MyProjectionReloaded, that would be the SOP for your camp.

Sparta Nova 4
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 7:54 am

This is “no-news?”

Nice try at deflection. Flame Warrior!

“What I say three times is true?”

Just speak once and spare the innocent electrons. With your first utterances, we know it is false.

February 12, 2026 4:19 am

Meanwhile, in the U.S. we have a new “undisputed champion of beautiful clean coal.” Guess who?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-receives-shiny-trophy-named-003859190.html,

And our President is not wrong about this. Piles of coal. Keep digging.

Looks like the Obama Administration’s “war on coal” is over.

GeorgeInSanDiego
Reply to  David Dibbell
February 12, 2026 4:23 am

And the “endangerment finding” is supposedly over today.

Reply to  GeorgeInSanDiego
February 12, 2026 5:01 am

I’d like to see Trump announce this.

Bruce Cobb
Reply to  David Dibbell
February 12, 2026 5:31 am

If there is anything Trump knows how to do, it’s gaslighting the coal-haters. They hate coal almost as much as they hate America. Oops, now I’m doing it.

KevinM
Reply to  Bruce Cobb
February 12, 2026 7:52 am

The word “gaslighting” has now moved past overused status and entered “means whatever I meant wha I said it” status. This is not an attempted swipe at BC, just an observation of the trajectoy of the word/concept “gaslight“.

Reply to  KevinM
February 12, 2026 11:45 pm

What is wrong with the word “lying”?

Reply to  Graemethecat
February 13, 2026 3:29 am

Yeah! I’m Old-School!

There is no confusion when “liar” is used.

February 12, 2026 4:57 am

“out of operation due to a thick layer of ice in the Prorer Wiek and the port of Mukran”

The warmists must have assumed that that could never happen again!

Reply to  Joseph Zorzin
February 12, 2026 11:49 pm

There’s something so satisfyingly ironic about that.

i have no sympathy for the Germans – despite all the warnings they voted for these cretinous policies, and now they must endure the consequences.

Reply to  Graemethecat
February 13, 2026 3:41 am

I have sympathy for those who did not vote for the current German government.

When Joe Biden got elected, about 75 million Americans, including me, voted against him. Still, we had to suffer through four years of his incompetent, delusional administration, so I know how a lot of Germans feel right now. They can see the Train Wreck coming and they can’t do anything to stop it.

I don’t have any sympathy for those who support the current German government.

Reply to  Joseph Zorzin
February 13, 2026 3:34 am

Germany could rent an icebreaker from someone. Canada has some. The U.S., unfortunately, has none to spare.

February 12, 2026 5:13 am

The major German parties, CDU/CSU, SPD, and the far left caused this problem by shuttering nuclear and coal plants. Now they want to avoid blame by banning debate on the problems. This catastrophic problem should be a major boost for the AfD which appears (by polls) to be Germany’s largist party.

If Germany has a February blackout from this, people will die. Germany needs to vote out the idiots whose bad decisions lead the country into this mess.

Reply to  isthatright
February 12, 2026 11:50 pm

What will resident troll Mylosernamereloaded have to say if that happens?

Westfieldmike
February 12, 2026 5:18 am

Ice stopping the tankers during global boiling, hilarious.

February 12, 2026 5:31 am

Weather forecast for Berlin does not bode well – today’s high is forecast to be 45 degree Fahrenheit with a low of 34, but the highs after today remain in the low to mid 30’s and lows from high 20’s to low 30’s until the end of February. I don’t know what that means for the rest of the country but if that is representative, it will likely be a matter of a little more than a week before they reach the 20% threshold.

Coach Springer
February 12, 2026 6:02 am

Yeah, well, it’s Europe so … they never had free speech to start with and that’s one of the reasons they end up being the center of civilizational disasters.

Reply to  Coach Springer
February 12, 2026 7:56 am

Never is quite a long time for such an old continent. But only because musk can’t do his sieg heil in certain countries doesn’t mean they don’t have free speech.

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 8:40 am

US Justice Department report on EU censorship: Germany plays a central role
The interim report on the “threat of foreign censorship,” presented by the US House Judiciary Committee on February 3, comprises approximately 160 pages. It does not address censorship efforts by China or Russia, but rather by the European Union!

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 11:41 am

Musk never did a Nazi salute… why lie about it. !!

MarkW
Reply to  bnice2000
February 12, 2026 12:39 pm

He lies because the truth doesn’t advance the cause.

Reply to  bnice2000
February 12, 2026 11:57 pm

You really expect him to tell the truth?

MarkW
Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 12:40 pm

I see you are another socialist who believes that anyone who opposes socialism is a Nazi.
Despite the fact that Nazis have always been socialists.

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 9:06 pm

Fascism wears many faces

Reply to  MyUsernameReloaded
February 12, 2026 11:56 pm

But only because musk can’t do his sieg heil in certain countries doesn’t mean they don’t have free speech.

Lucy Connolly of the UK (31 months’ imprisonment for a tweet) begs to differ.

KevinM
Reply to  Coach Springer
February 12, 2026 7:58 am

Too true.
“Benjamin Franklin stated that suppressing free speech is the first step in overthrowing a nation’s liberty. Herbert Hoover observed the paradox that dictators use free speech to gain power and then suppress it. An attributed quote suggests that controlling the meaning of words is a basic tool for manipulating reality. Winston Churchill cautioned against a tyranny of opinion that silences opposing viewpoints. George Orwell famously stated that liberty includes the right to tell people what they don’t want to hear. Harry Truman warned that a government committed to silencing opposition will become a source of terror.”

Reply to  KevinM
February 13, 2026 3:45 am

All true.

real bob boder
February 12, 2026 7:32 am

Merz says “let them eat cake”

Reply to  real bob boder
February 13, 2026 3:47 am

Yeah, I suppose Mertz will have plenty of electricity.

KevinM
February 12, 2026 7:40 am

“German authorities hope to avert a supply shortage by importing gas from the Netherlands and Norway”

If yesterday the world used 9 units of gas and tomorrow the world uses 10 units of gas, It does not matter which particular unit of gas any one German uses. All 10 units will be used. Even if that means the Norwegian imports a Russian unit while simultaneosly exporting its own Norwegian unit.

“Fungibility
In economics and law, fungibility is the property of something whose individual units are considered fundamentally interchangeable with each other.”

Sparta Nova 4
February 12, 2026 7:48 am

“Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reportedly issued an official ban on debating the current gas crisis until the end of March in order to avoid negatively affecting the ongoing election campaigns.”

Why not just go the extra step and ban elections?

MarkW
Reply to  Sparta Nova 4
February 12, 2026 12:43 pm

Having elections gives the cover of legitimacy to a government. Instead they have elections, but by controlling both who gets to vote as well as who counts the votes, the outcomes are predetermined.

Reply to  MarkW
February 13, 2026 3:52 am

That is the current strategy of the Democrats in the U.S.

They almost got there. Then, by some miracle, Trump got elected. But that is only a temporary setback for the Democrats. They haven’t given up on making the United Stares a One-Party system (a Democrat dictatorship).

Now is not the time to relax.

Reply to  Sparta Nova 4
February 12, 2026 9:09 pm

The Germans may do such a thing, but the UK government would never make such an undemocratic decision.

Wait a minute ….

Sparta Nova 4
February 12, 2026 8:08 am

“The beatings will continue until moral improves”…. translates to:

The insanity will continue until sufficient damage is inflicted.

Sadly people will die when that tipping point is crossed.

Anyone who thinks a blackout is not a tipping point needs to pause and apply some critical thinking.

mleskovarsocalrrcom
February 12, 2026 8:25 am

Another one of Trump’s “conspiracy theories” comes true.

Sparta Nova 4
Reply to  mleskovarsocalrrcom
February 12, 2026 11:23 am

Humor – a difficult concept.
— Lt. Saavik

Harry Durham
February 12, 2026 8:26 am

German energy policy is reminiscent of the scene in “Blazing Saddles” where Cleavon Little holds his own gun to his head, and announces: “Next man moves, the [black man] gets it!”

Except the person holding the gun is the Chancellor, and the people she’s intimidating are the entire country. The difference is that HER policies are suppressing facts to improve her election chances, as well as continuing to put the entire German economy at risk for political & emotional reasons. (Emotional ’cause facts don’t seem to interfere with climate hoaxsters’ mandates.)

KevinM
Reply to  Harry Durham
February 12, 2026 9:26 am

“As of early 2026, Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is the Chancellor of Germany.”

Is Merz a she/her?

KevinM
Reply to  KevinM
February 12, 2026 9:29 am

“Friedrich Merz is male. He is a German politician, born in 1955, who has served as the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and as a member of the Bundestag. He has been identified as a leading figure in German politics, frequently associated with conservative values.”

Strange, the policy he’s pursuing according to the WUWT article (verified true, other media confirms) does not map well to “frequently associated with conservative values.”

gezza1298
February 12, 2026 12:57 pm

The UK is being battered with rain pretty much daily while the Continent freezes. I am happy to suffer the wet a bit longer just to watch the clown show in Germany when gas is rationed.

cotpacker
February 12, 2026 4:15 pm

They sure love democracy and free speech in Germany and the EU, don’t they?

February 12, 2026 5:56 pm

Not to be outdone by past mistakes, Germany has made a significant change for next year’s winter. They have been mandating that storage must hit 90%+ levels before the winter season (once it does, they can start drawing down to accommodate an early winter). They are adding many loopholes in that mandate which allows only having an 80% fill level.

Economics is one of those loopholes. If present NG costs are higher than the expected costs in the future (that’s called backwardation) they can wait to refill. So they will wait until late Spring to start refilling, stop during the summer ng peak price season, and start back again in fall. That guarantees they cannot hit 90% levels (simply not enough LNG infrastructure and ships). There will be more LNG facilities being put in service this year, and they are planning on just-in-time deliveries in winter to bridge the gap. But when that happens, ng will be at winter maximum prices. It will cost them dearly. That’s assuming they can get the lng. Pipeline capacity issues, ng well freeze-offs, frozen ports, or infrastructure failure will leave them in the cold.

They have structured an energy policy that assumes perfect execution during an average winter. There is no buffer.

Zeke
February 12, 2026 7:38 pm
  • “We have switched from nuclear and coal now mainly to gas; every day we produce an average of between 15 and 20 GW with gas-fired power plants, which naturally causes the problem that we are now in this—perhaps soon to be—gas shortage situation…”

See that’s an easy one! They phased out their coal and nuclear, telling themselves they would just switch to natural gas.

Now we can learn from their mistakes (:

February 13, 2026 2:44 am

Banning debate? They are still good little Nazis.

February 13, 2026 6:57 am

The Netherlands gas reserve is currently at 17%. At current usage ALL gas will be gone on march 7th.
There is colder freezing weather forecasted so a mere 2 weeks of reserve is more realistic.
The lack of gaspressure will probably kick in earlier and cause problems in a week.

Knowing the bottomless stupidity of out government they will probably offer some of our dwindling gasreserves to Germany and leaf their own citizens in the cold AND the dark.

I sort of hope this is going to happen because that will trigger civil unrest and possibly a civil war. I can see no other way out of this horribly failing system but a civil war.

The constant goverment messaging about survival packages, limiting electricity usage and being prepared for war has been going on for quite some time now.
I think this is no coincedence..