Moritz Frankenberg/Getty Images The German city of Hanover has cut off hot water to public buildings, swimming pools, sports halls and gyms as Russian gas cuts fuel fears of a winter energy crisis. The city will also turn off public fountains and stop lighting large buildings at night as the city aims to reduce energy consumption by 15 percent, according to a tweet from Hanover Mayor Belit Onay. “This is a reaction to the impending gas shortage, which is a big challenge for municipalities – especially for a big city like Hanover,” said Onay. The city will also reduce heating activation times in municipal buildings between October and March – excluding day care centers – convert all light bulbs to LEDs, ban mobile air conditioners, fan heaters or radiators and install motion detectors in place of permanent lighting in public toilets, bicycle sheds, corridors and parking areas. Russian gas giant Gazprom announced Monday that it is shutting down another turbine on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany for maintenance. The further cut meant natural gas flows, which were already operating at just 40% of capacity, were reduced to just 20%, sparking disbelief in Europe. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck called the maintenance justification a “farce” and EU leaders accused the Kremlin of using state-owned Gazprom as a weapon in retaliation for Western sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Cities around Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas, have introduced similar measures, including Munich, Leipzig, Cologne and Nuremberg. Nuremberg has closed three of its four public indoor pools, while the outdoor lidos will remain open until September 25.
