MADRID, 24 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -
The Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, has ruled out this Wednesday that next winter energy rationing will have to be implemented in Spain, a situation that, in her opinion, can be feasible in countries "as important as Germany or Austria," he said this Wednesday in an interview on Telecinco collected by Europa Press.
"The (energy) ration cards, unfortunately, may become a reality in countries as important as Germany or Austria this coming winter. Not in our case. We have provided measures to reduce redundant consumption. We do not need to illuminate a shop window for the night or having the thermostat above or below the comfort temperature", Ribera stressed.
Regarding the vote that will take place this Thursday in Congress for the validation of the energy saving decree drawn up by the Government, the head of Ecological Transition has been "completely" sure that she will obtain the support of the Lower House.
"We believe that it is capital that it goes ahead. We think that it deserves the support of the Chamber in a majority and unanimous way", he assessed, while insisting that the Executive must have "open doors" to continue working with the different sectors affected, with the parliamentary groups, the autonomous communities and the town councils.
In this line and around the accusations from the opposition of lack of dialogue in the preparation of the energy saving plan, the minister has assured that she misses "proposals", both on the part of the autonomous communities (with the exception of the Government of the Basque Country and its plan to promote savings measures in its territory) and the parliamentary groups.
Thus, he has pointed out that these proposals "must generate effects from day one, not for 10 years" and has lamented that the Popular Party (PP) is "invoking" some technologies (such as nuclear) that "would not entail any change for this winter".
In addition, he has defended that the measures proposed by the Executive "represent savings for those who implement them" and avoid redundant consumption, while warning that they reduce "the risk of having to take more drastic and complicated measures."
"Since August 1, the (European) Commission has been accounting for how we are saving, in principle on a voluntary basis, all member states. Therefore, it is important to have adopted these measures that work on the previous experience of the basic regulations in terms of of air conditioning or on the lighting of shop windows at night," he added.
Asked about the rise in electricity, whose average price in Spain for regulated rate customers linked to the wholesale market stands this Wednesday at 436.25 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) -a new maximum since the entry into force of the cap to gas-, Ribera has highlighted the "unprecedented prices in the international gas markets" and has stressed that the Government is "trying to adopt all possible measures" to alleviate the situation.