Energy giant Uniper (ETR: UN01) has cautioned that Germany could face natural gas shortages this winter if the country does not accelerate the rate at which it fills its gas storage sites.
Uniper’s chief executive Michael Lewis made the warning in an interview with German business daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, calling for incentives to encourage companies to stock up on gas reserves.
Germany’s gas storage sites stood at only 30.6% capacity as of May 27, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe.
That figure represents a notable shortfall compared to the same period last year, when storage sites were 38.65% full.
The gap between current storage levels and last year’s figures has raised concerns among energy industry leaders about the country’s preparedness heading into the colder months.
Lewis’s call for government-backed incentives reflects growing industry frustration with the pace of storage replenishment across Germany’s energy infrastructure.
Gas storage plays a central role in Germany’s ability to meet heating and energy demands during peak winter consumption periods.
A failure to reach adequate storage levels before winter could place significant pressure on both households and industrial users reliant on natural gas supplies.
Uniper, one of Europe’s largest energy companies, has been closely monitoring storage trends as part of its broader assessment of regional energy security risks.
The warning adds to a wider debate across Europe about energy resilience, supply chain readiness, and the pace at which countries are rebuilding gas inventories following previous winters of elevated demand and supply uncertainty.
