Germany to limit use of gas for electricity production

Germany's economy minister said on Sunday that the country will limit the use of gas for electricity production amid concerns about possible shortages caused by a reduction in supplies from Russia.

Germany has been trying to fill its gas storage facilities to capacity ahead of the winter months when gas is more urgently needed as heating fuel.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck said that Germany will try to compensate for the move by increasing the burning of coal, a more polluting fossil fuel.

"That's bitter, but it's simply necessary for this situation to lower gas usage," he said.

While the situation in the gas markets has become more acute in recent days, storage facilities are still able to make up the shortfall from Russia with purchases from elsewhere.

Still, Habeck said the situation was serious.

Russian gas company Gazprom announced last week that it was reducing supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline for technical reasons.

Habeck said he believed the move was politically motivated.