FNB Gas on the Draft Bill to Establish a Gas Reserve

At the conclusion of the industry hearing on the draft bill to establish a gas reserve for crisis preparedness, FNB Gas Managing Director Barbara Fischer stated:

FNB Gas expressly welcomes the federal government’s plans to establish a gas reserve as a key instrument for crisis preparedness. It ensures that, in crisis situations—such as the failure of a major import pipeline—infrastructure operators can maintain grid stability at short notice and transition to crisis mode in a controlled manner. We view the reintroduction of a levy to finance the gas reserve critically and consider it inappropriate. Government crisis preparedness should also be financed by the government.

The FNB also sees a need for adjustments regarding THE’s procurement and management of the reserve. It must be made clear that the risk associated with the performance of government functions is not transferred to the market area manager.

In addition, FNB Gas suggests using the introduction of the gas reserve to promptly establish legal frameworks not only for crisis preparedness but also for market-based winter preparedness, and to introduce a supplier obligation. Such a measure would be particularly suitable for ensuring the withdrawal capacity required at the end of winter, so that regular customer supply can be maintained at all times. Combined, the two instruments would secure 87 TWh in storage facilities: 63 TWh through the supplier obligation and 24 TWh through the gas reserve. FNB Gas had already presented a corresponding analysis and concrete proposals on this topic in the spring: Report on Security of Supply 2026

The full statement is available in the download section.