So it looks like nordstream 1 is going to operate at 20% for a while before it's anticipated that the taps are turned off completely. In response to this, the European Commission have come up with a plan to (potentially mandatory) reduce has consumption across the bloc by 15% in an effort to bolster reserves before the winter. This has caused division across the EU with gas network isolated countries like Spain and Portugal resisting.
Spain's deputy PM even has come out with this line, which has strong echos of the German Finance minister during the eurozone crisis: “Unlike other countries, we Spaniards have not lived beyond our means from an energy point of view,”. Other countries that were at the blunt end of German ire during the Eurozone crisis aren't being particularly kind to the plan, stating that it's simply a rescue for Germany and bailing them out for their poor energy policy.
Ireland is also isolated physically from European network, so a 15% cut here wouldn't do anything but relieve supply pressure in the UK. The Irish governments position on this mandatory cut isn't clear however. Would such a sacrifice be palatable here to save the economy that charged us 6% on the bailout loans? - I have my doubts.
