As Germans are being told to expect alarmingly high electric bills and widespread gas-rationing measures, Hanover has become the first major European city to ban hot water in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's reduction of gas supplies, the Daily Mail reports.
The capital of Lower Saxony in the northwest part of Germany, Hanover will cut off hot water in public buildings, swimming pools, sports halls and gyms, and will also turn off public fountains and nighttime lights on buildings like the town hall and museums, in a bid to reduce gas consumption.
Hanover Mayor Belit Onay tweeted that the city has to reduce its energy consumption by 15% due to an "impending gas shortage."
The city's plans include shutting off heating in public buildings between April and September and setting thermostats to 68 degrees for the rest of the year, with some exceptions.
Portable air conditioners, heaters and radiators in the workplace will also be prohibited and printers should be removed where possible, the government said.
According to the Mail, public officials are introducing the energy-saving measures during a hot European summer — a time when cold showers are less likely to provoke public ire.
Russian energy giant Gazprom has been turning down the gas in its Nord Stream 1 pipeline since June, when it cut energy supplies to 40%, citing maintenance issues, according to the Mail.
This week, the state-run energy company cut the flow to just 20%.
These reductions have sent energy bills soaring, as governments work to fill gas storage facilities and energy-intensive industries question whether they can keep factories operational.
The panic among European countries, especially Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas, will likely be well received by Putin, who is believed to be cutting energy supplies to the Continent in retaliation for support for Ukraine following his invasion of the country.
Russia has denied that it is deliberately throttling the gas supply to create chaos in Europe, but the general consensus seems to be that Putin is punishing "unfriendly countries" for backing Ukraine in the conflict.
Responding to the cuts, the Mail reports European Union countries agreed on Tuesday to a bloc-wide 15% reduction in gas consumption that is intended to take the pressure off of countries that are most vulnerable to Putin's energy roulette.
As one of the most reliant countries on Russian gas, Germany has been racing to fill its gas reservoirs before winter comes.
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