Thread

1. Tade0 · 1790758636 · focus · HN ↗

   I feel like this is overdramatized a bit.

   For instance: it's mentioned that EU gas storage is at 67% and Germany's at 56%.

   What is not mentioned though is that Poland's storage is at 97% because the previous administration, for better or worse, was paranoid enough to invest in a sizeable marine gas terminal and the current one stocked up early.

   Regarding real estate: adjusted for inflation prices peaked 2.5 years ago, interest rates are also much lower than back then. Nobody is buying because all the Ukrainian refugees who were moving to Poland are here already and that's the last bump in population this country will see for the foreseeable future.

   Also there's the threat of war on Polish soil, which affects investor sentiment.

   1. nazgob · 1790759146 · focus · HN ↗

      It's 97% but total gas storage capacity it quite low so it's easier to fill.

      1. Tade0 · 1790762592 · focus · HN ↗

         True, but other large EU members also did a better job replenishing their stores:

         <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;energiedashboard.admin.ch&#x2F;gas&#x2F;eu-gasspeicher" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;energiedashboard.admin.ch&#x2F;gas&#x2F;eu-gasspeicher

         For instance, Italy has more storage capacity per capita despite very similar consumption (~10TWh&#x2F;1mln population) and they&#x27;re already at 86%+.

         Meanwhile indeed Poland has much less storage (about a third of Germany per capita), but it also uses it less (half the consumption of Germany per capita).

         I must ask: what the hell are the Germans waiting for?

         1. rostigerpudel · 1790764734 · focus · HN ↗

            Our minister responsible for energy is Katherina Reiche, a lobbyist for fossil companies. She has been suspected to dawdle on refilling gas storage to make it easier for her former employers to make a quick buck when gas becomes scarce in winter. She&#x27;s also botched the transition to renewable energies by removing the incentives for state and industry to build out electric infrastructure, so it would not be out of character.

            Plus, our chancellor has zero experience in governing anything (he&#x27;s not even been mayor before) and is firmly stuck in thinking like a Blackrock executive.

            So, to answer your question: We are waiting for a government that is not entirely in the pocket of those that want to stick to the status quo and profit from crises as long as possible.

            1. LeChuck · 1790771758 · focus · HN ↗

               That&#x27;s a nice conspiracy theory you have there.

               Which former employer is going to make a quick buck? The grid operator or the grid operator lobbyist? Besides, who is going to profit from a price spike when the whole point is that the summer-winter spread is inverted, so no one expects to make money from injecting?

               1. looperhacks · 1790774434 · focus · HN ↗

                  &gt; Which former employer is going to make a quick buck? The grid operator or the grid operator lobbyist?

                  Well, both. Katherina Reiche was CEO of Westenergie until she joined the current government; and was, at the same time, listed as a lobbyist. She also caused controversy when she presented a plan for energy politics that was _very similar_ to plans by major electricity providers (including the parent company of her previous company). Or when she directly asked the electricity provider EnBW for better arguments why we should build more gas power plant (directly violating lobbying laws). That&#x27;s just a small excerpt; the list of controversy is long.

                  But tbh, I don&#x27;t think there&#x27;s a big conspiracy about the empty gas tanks. Yes, Reiche is most likely corrupt (which is a huge deal), but afaiu, the gas tanks are empty because nobody wants to pay for the gas right now.

                  PS: Just today, Reiche ordered Sefe GmbH to stockpile more gas [1]. Sefe is conveniently a public company. So private companies don&#x27;t have to buy expensive gas, because the public is going to take care of it.

                  [1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.zeit.de&#x2F;wirtschaft&#x2F;2026-09&#x2F;gasspeicher-deutschland-katherina-reiche-sefe-erdgas-gxe" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.zeit.de&#x2F;wirtschaft&#x2F;2026-09&#x2F;gasspeicher-deutschla...

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