Hanover in northwestern Germany on Wednesday became the first major city to announce energy-saving measures, including turning off hot water in showers and bathrooms in city-run buildings and recreation centers. Municipal buildings in the capital of the state of Lower Saxony will only be heated from October 1 to March 31, to a room temperature of no more than 20 degrees Celsius, while the use of portable air conditioners and air heaters will be prohibited. Kindergartens, schools, nursing homes and hospitals will be exempt from the savings measures. “The situation is unpredictable,” said the city’s mayor, Belit Onay, of the Green Party. “Every kilowatt hour counts and protecting vital infrastructure must be a priority.” Hanover’s 15% savings target is in line with the cuts the European Commission this week urged member states to make to ensure they can cope in the event of a total gas cut from Russia. Germany, which is more dependent on Russian gas imports than other European countries, is under pressure to lead the way. In Berlin, the German capital, around 200 historic monuments and municipal buildings were plunged into darkness on Wednesday night as the city switched off floodlights to save electricity. Monuments previously illuminated at night include the Victory Column in Tiergarten Park, the Memorial Church in Breitscheidplatz and the Jewish Museum. “In the face of the war against Ukraine and Russia’s energy threats it is vital that we handle our energy as carefully as possible,” said Berlin’s environment senator Bettina Jarasch. Germany uses most of its gas imports to heat homes and power its large industry. But while an energy emergency plan launched in June allows utilities to pass on high gas prices to customers, most private households in Germany pay their gas bills in fixed installments and have yet to experience direct the kind of dramatic increases that would change consumer behavior. Germany’s government confirmed on Thursday that a planned gas charge on customers could be much higher than previously expected to save energy companies from bankruptcy in the coming months. “We can’t say yet how much natural gas will cost in November, but the bad news is that it’s definitely a few hundred euros per household,” said Economy Minister Robert Habeck. Germany also uses natural gas to generate about 15% of its electricity needs, where municipal authorities have decided to make relatively painless savings. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST The city of Munich, in southern Germany, this week announced it would turn off the floodlights in its town hall on Marienplatz, which is normally lit until 11 p.m., and will only have cold water in the municipal offices. The fountains would also be closed at night. Nuremberg is closing three of the city’s four indoor pools and will keep its outdoor pools open until September 25. In April, Berlin announced measures to keep its outdoor pools two degrees below the typical weather-dependent temperature throughout the summer season.
