ANKARA

Europe is struggling to address a deepening energy crisis partly due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as Moscow has suspended natural gas supplies in response to economic sanctions imposed by the West.

Governments are trying to diversify energy supplies and introduce measures to reduce demand and save energy as winter nears.

Germany

The German parliament on Friday gave the green light to extend the lifespan of three nuclear power plants amid the ongoing energy crisis in the country.



The Bundestag has decided to temporarily continue the operation of the last three German nuclear power plants -- Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland -- until April 15 next year.

As part of Germany's nuclear phaseout plans, the three power plants were to shut down at the end of the year.

In a roll-call vote, 375 MPs voted in favor of amending the Atomic Energy Act, 216 voted against and 70 abstained.

In a last step, it is still up to the upper house of the parliament -- the Federal Council -- which could deal with the issue at its meeting on Nov. 25. However, it is very unlikely that it will veto the plans.

Poland

An interconnector allowing the transmission of natural gas between Poland and Slovakia will be commissioned on Friday in preparation for its commercial launch on Nov. 12.

Polish system operator Gaz-System said in a statement that the pipeline will run from the gas compressor station at Strachocina near the Slovakian border to serve the two countries.

The pipeline will run for 61 kilometers (38 miles) through Polish territory and continue for 106 km (66 mi) through Slovakia, providing 4.7 billion cubic meters of gas to Slovakia and 5.7 billion cubic meters to Poland annually.

The gas pipeline is critical for Poland, which has struggled to meet its energy needs as a result of the Ukraine-Russia war.

With this gas connection, Poland will gain infrastructural access to gas resources in southern Europe, North Africa and the Caucasus.

Slovakia will also gain access to the Baltic Pipe pipeline as well as LNG terminals in Poland and Lithuania.

France

French malt producers issued a warning Friday on the dramatic effects of the energy crisis on their profession.

In a press release, the union of malt producers in the country said producers were "already weakened by the Corona crisis in 2020 and the consequent increase in the price of barley in 2021." Now, the energy crisis has hit the industry, it said.

Highly energy-intensive, malt production is heavily dependent particularly on gas costs for heating and drying the grain.

France is the top exporter of malt in Europe and the second-largest in the world, with around 85% of French production destined for export to other EU nations, as well as Africa, Asia, and South America.

Producers now fear a decline in competitiveness and massive losses in international market share. In its press release, the union called for access to state aid to be simplified.