Germany Orders SEFE to Add 8 TWh to Gas Storage by December 15 as Inventories Hit Record Low

Germany has instructed state-owned gas importer SEFE to inject 8 terawatt-hours of natural gas into storage by December 15, 2026, the company said on September 30, as Berlin moves to shore up supply security ahead of winter. German storage sites stand at roughly 57% full — the lowest on record for this time of year — while EU-wide inventories were 71% as of September 29, down from above 80% a year earlier and the five-year average, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe. The directive follows a seven-month halt in LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz that has driven benchmark gas prices to their highest since January 2023. Germany, which nationalized SEFE after seizing Gazprom assets in 2022, is also weighing expanded market incentives to encourage trader purchases.