Teresa Ribera: “We cannot assume a sacrifice on which we have not been asked for an opinion”
Spain rejects Brussels’ proposal to cut gas consumption by 15%: “Unlike other countries, we Spaniards have not lived beyond our means from an energy point of view”
02:09
Ribera assures that Spain does not support the Brussels energy saving plan
Spain goes on the attack against the latest proposal from Brussels, which proposes that all European countries cut their gas consumption by 15% until next spring, regardless of their degree of exposure to Russia. “We cannot assume a disproportionate sacrifice on which they have not even asked us for a prior opinion,” said the third vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, in a practically monothematic press conference held hours after the European Commission revealed a plan that he does not consider “neither the most effective, nor the most efficient, nor the fairest”. Whatever happens, she has said, “Spanish families are not going to suffer gas or electricity cuts in their homes.”
The person in charge of Energy of the Government has opted for “savings and efficiency” in gas consumption, but has assured that the Executive is not considering the hypothesis of restricting it to “any type of consumer”. Spain, he stated, defends European values and will show solidarity with the rest of the Union, “but not at the expense of domestic and industrial consumers”, who have been paying “a very high bill for a long time” and who “do not deserve restrictions no rationing.” “Spain is a country committed to solidarity, but we have to see what is the best way to offer solidarity, which is probably more linked to the ability to use our infrastructures to support the Member States that depended on the gas that arrived by gas pipeline. ”.
Ribera’s statements, which have used an unusually harsh tone on the Brussels proposal, come hours after community officials proposed a linear cut in gas consumption in the face of Putin’s threats, without distinction by country. It is something striking, since the dependency of the Eurasian giant is very variable between some countries and others, but the community argument is that this would free up export capacity in alternative suppliers to Russia.
The harshness also contrasts with the general good atmosphere with the European authorities, especially after they gave the go-ahead —after several back-and-forths— to the so-called Iberian exception, the mechanism that has made it possible to set a ceiling on the price of gas that feeds the combined cycle power plants and has enabled a reduction of around 20% in the electricity bill for households that have a regulated rate.
“We have not lived beyond our energy possibilities”
“Our solidarity is much more useful if we can make use of our infrastructures to be able to provide gas to the rest of the Europeans, but not at the expense of some domestic and industrial consumers who have been paying a very high bill for a long time,” he pointed out. Spain has spent years investing huge sums of money —which companies and households have paid via higher charges— to equip itself with a powerful network of regasification plants that, in a situation like the current one, shines with its own light. “Unlike other countries, we Spaniards have not lived beyond our means from an energy point of view,” she stressed.
For this reason, the minister has urged the community partners to “discuss in an open, transparent and respectful way” on the best way to support each other in this regard. And she has highlighted the “fundamental” role that Spain can play as a “gateway” for more than 30% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe, with infrastructures prepared to support “its neighbors”. “Spain has done its homework in this area, paying more than many European partners, (…) and resists the imposition of obligations above what corresponds to us and what is requested of other community partners in terms of effort.” In this way, Ribera has remarked that Spain will go to the summit of energy ministers next Tuesday to “defend the interests of all Spaniards with a supportive, effective, efficient and coordinated proposal”.
Large regasification capacity
In this sense, he recalled that Spain has “a great regasification capacity and also a great storage and re-export capacity through small methane tankers”, and the Government believes that Spanish consumers, “beyond the effort they can make, do not they must suffer the consequences of something they have been paying for for many years”, their own security of supply.
Spanish regasification capacity represents more than 30% of the total in Europe and, therefore, Spain is “the main port of entry for liquefied natural gas into Europe”, which “has been reflected in domestic and industrial consumer bills of gas that, therefore, do not deserve restrictions”. “Yes, I think we have to bet on savings and efficiency; and I do believe that we must find out how some consumptions can be replaced by others, to the extent that they can be replaced. But we do not consider the hypothesis of introducing rationing or restrictions to any type of consumer”, Ribera has stated.
“Widespread conviction” that Russia will turn off the tap
The head of Ecological Transition has highlighted that there is a “widespread conviction that, sooner or later, Russia is going to stop supplying Europe .” And she has pointed out that the EU, although today it has not adopted sanctions against the country for the invasion of Ukraine, it does want to do without it as the main supplier of gas, coal, oil and enriched uranium. After pointing out that Russia is currently a fundamental country for energy supplies in Europe, she recalled that it is not “so important for Spain” because its volume of gas imports “is very limited”.
Ribera has framed the announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will reopen the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, the main one between Russia and Germany, in a game of “energy blackmail” by the Kremlin: “More than a year ago they began to reduce the gas stored or the gas flows that came from Russia to Europe through the different active gas pipelines. (…) It is very likely that it will continue playing with the volumes of gas that it exports to Europe”, he has sentenced.
agreed. This is not a solution. Russia is weaponizing gas. EU must call their bluff, not hide in a corner until …. they stop bluffing?
But of course they did.
`Germans are traitors to the European solidarity because they don’t want to ruin their economic, social, and by proxy political systems by stopping to use gas they rely on! What? We have to spare 15% and maybe turn down ACs a bit? Are you insane?`
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Teresa Ribera: “We cannot assume a sacrifice on which we have not been asked for an opinion”
Spain rejects Brussels’ proposal to cut gas consumption by 15%: “Unlike other countries, we Spaniards have not lived beyond our means from an energy point of view”
02:09
Ribera assures that Spain does not support the Brussels energy saving plan
Spain goes on the attack against the latest proposal from Brussels, which proposes that all European countries cut their gas consumption by 15% until next spring, regardless of their degree of exposure to Russia. “We cannot assume a disproportionate sacrifice on which they have not even asked us for a prior opinion,” said the third vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, in a practically monothematic press conference held hours after the European Commission revealed a plan that he does not consider “neither the most effective, nor the most efficient, nor the fairest”. Whatever happens, she has said, “Spanish families are not going to suffer gas or electricity cuts in their homes.”
The person in charge of Energy of the Government has opted for “savings and efficiency” in gas consumption, but has assured that the Executive is not considering the hypothesis of restricting it to “any type of consumer”. Spain, he stated, defends European values and will show solidarity with the rest of the Union, “but not at the expense of domestic and industrial consumers”, who have been paying “a very high bill for a long time” and who “do not deserve restrictions no rationing.” “Spain is a country committed to solidarity, but we have to see what is the best way to offer solidarity, which is probably more linked to the ability to use our infrastructures to support the Member States that depended on the gas that arrived by gas pipeline. ”.
Ribera’s statements, which have used an unusually harsh tone on the Brussels proposal, come hours after community officials proposed a linear cut in gas consumption in the face of Putin’s threats, without distinction by country. It is something striking, since the dependency of the Eurasian giant is very variable between some countries and others, but the community argument is that this would free up export capacity in alternative suppliers to Russia.
The harshness also contrasts with the general good atmosphere with the European authorities, especially after they gave the go-ahead —after several back-and-forths— to the so-called Iberian exception, the mechanism that has made it possible to set a ceiling on the price of gas that feeds the combined cycle power plants and has enabled a reduction of around 20% in the electricity bill for households that have a regulated rate.
“We have not lived beyond our energy possibilities”
“Our solidarity is much more useful if we can make use of our infrastructures to be able to provide gas to the rest of the Europeans, but not at the expense of some domestic and industrial consumers who have been paying a very high bill for a long time,” he pointed out. Spain has spent years investing huge sums of money —which companies and households have paid via higher charges— to equip itself with a powerful network of regasification plants that, in a situation like the current one, shines with its own light. “Unlike other countries, we Spaniards have not lived beyond our means from an energy point of view,” she stressed.
For this reason, the minister has urged the community partners to “discuss in an open, transparent and respectful way” on the best way to support each other in this regard. And she has highlighted the “fundamental” role that Spain can play as a “gateway” for more than 30% of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe, with infrastructures prepared to support “its neighbors”. “Spain has done its homework in this area, paying more than many European partners, (…) and resists the imposition of obligations above what corresponds to us and what is requested of other community partners in terms of effort.” In this way, Ribera has remarked that Spain will go to the summit of energy ministers next Tuesday to “defend the interests of all Spaniards with a supportive, effective, efficient and coordinated proposal”.
Large regasification capacity
In this sense, he recalled that Spain has “a great regasification capacity and also a great storage and re-export capacity through small methane tankers”, and the Government believes that Spanish consumers, “beyond the effort they can make, do not they must suffer the consequences of something they have been paying for for many years”, their own security of supply.
Spanish regasification capacity represents more than 30% of the total in Europe and, therefore, Spain is “the main port of entry for liquefied natural gas into Europe”, which “has been reflected in domestic and industrial consumer bills of gas that, therefore, do not deserve restrictions”. “Yes, I think we have to bet on savings and efficiency; and I do believe that we must find out how some consumptions can be replaced by others, to the extent that they can be replaced. But we do not consider the hypothesis of introducing rationing or restrictions to any type of consumer”, Ribera has stated.
“Widespread conviction” that Russia will turn off the tap
The head of Ecological Transition has highlighted that there is a “widespread conviction that, sooner or later, Russia is going to stop supplying Europe .” And she has pointed out that the EU, although today it has not adopted sanctions against the country for the invasion of Ukraine, it does want to do without it as the main supplier of gas, coal, oil and enriched uranium. After pointing out that Russia is currently a fundamental country for energy supplies in Europe, she recalled that it is not “so important for Spain” because its volume of gas imports “is very limited”.
Ribera has framed the announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will reopen the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, the main one between Russia and Germany, in a game of “energy blackmail” by the Kremlin: “More than a year ago they began to reduce the gas stored or the gas flows that came from Russia to Europe through the different active gas pipelines. (…) It is very likely that it will continue playing with the volumes of gas that it exports to Europe”, he has sentenced.
agreed. This is not a solution. Russia is weaponizing gas. EU must call their bluff, not hide in a corner until …. they stop bluffing?
But of course they did.
`Germans are traitors to the European solidarity because they don’t want to ruin their economic, social, and by proxy political systems by stopping to use gas they rely on! What? We have to spare 15% and maybe turn down ACs a bit? Are you insane?`