German city rations its hot water and central heating

THE German city of Hanover has become the first in Europe to switch off hot water and central heating in public buildings after Vladimir Putin turned off the gas supply.

Germans have been told to expect big increases in their energy bills as Russia’s effort to weaponise gas bites.

Hanover will cut hot water to public buildings, swimming pools and gyms and also turn off lights in museums and let fountains run dry.

Belit Onay, the mayor, said it needed to cut energy use by 15 per cent because of an ‘imminent gas shortage’. Central heating in public buildings will be shut off from April to September, and there will also be a public ban on portable air conditioners and heaters.

Gazprom, Russia’s state-run supplier, has cut the flow of gas from the Nord Stream 1 pipeline as part of Putin’s bid to end European support for Ukraine. In June it cut flow by 40 per cent and this week cut it to 20 per cent of capacity.