France says winter gas reserves full as Russia accuses West of energy ‘suicide’

‘We are in the best conditions to go through the winter,’ says French minister

The French government has moved to protect consumers in recent months by capping increases in energy prices to 4 per cent (Reuters)

France claims it is well prepared to weather the looming winter energy crisis as the government announced that the country had now filled its strategic gas reserves to their maximum level.

The optimism of the government of Emmanuel Macron was evident just days after Russia announced it had closed the Nord Stream 1 gas link to Europe indefinitely, which prompted fears of shortages and blackouts in the approaching months across the continent.

“Today we have reached the maximum level for our gas reserves ... these gas stocks represent 50 per cent of our winter consumption, so we are in the best conditions to go through the winter,” the energy transition minister, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, told French media.