Energy supply
The Wilhelmshaven LNG terminal could be paused for months
The leading German LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven could come to a standstill in the first quarter of the new year. Apparently the liquefied natural gas is not needed at the moment.
The terminal for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Wilhelmshaven could not feed in new gas for months from the beginning of 2025. This emerges from a market announcement from the operator Deutsche Energy Terminal. According to this notice, it is planned that the capacity of the LNG terminal will not be marketed during the period from January 5 to April 1 and the terminal will remain unused for cargo deliveries.
However, the company emphasized that the planning could be adjusted again at short notice. Several media outlets had reported on an impending interruption.
When asked, Deutsche Energy Terminal explained that its capacities had made a significant contribution to calming the market during the gas crisis – the gas supply had been stabilized and gas prices had now fallen significantly. It is now important to define a framework for further marketing of the terminals that is accepted by the market. Preparations were underway for this. “At the same time, it is taken into account that our capacities must also be available at short notice as a crisis instrument.”
Two more terminals are expected to begin operations soon
The LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven was the first to be put into operation in Germany and has so far provided a large proportion of LNG imports. Further terminals are in Brunsbüttel (Schleswig-Holstein) and Mukran (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania). The plan is to put a second terminal into operation in Wilhelmshaven and another in Stade.
Deutsche Energy Terminal expects the two additional floating terminals to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2025. Critics fear that excess capacity will be created for the import of liquefied natural gas that is not even needed.
dpa
Source: Stern
