Madrid, Aug 30 (IANS) The Spanish government says it won’t be imposing restrictions on consumers or businesses or giving handy tips on how to save water amid an energy crisis.
“Do I have to tell families to shower with cold water like the German government did? I wouldn’t dream of that,” Minister for Ecological Change Teresa Ribera said in an interview on Monday to the Spanish daily El Mundo.
But Ribera said she could imagine, for example, campaigns to “revive old habits, such as turning off lights when they are not needed, or not turning the heating up so much”, reports dpa news agency.
The minister assured that “there will be no restrictions (on energy consumption) for families and companies”.
Spain must save energy, but is “much better prepared for the crisis than other countries”, she asserted.
Ribera compared her country’s situation to that of Germany to underpin her optimism.
She noted that Spain is “not as dependent on Russian gas as Germany, which also has to keep coal-fired power plants in operation”.
Spain recently approved a controversial energy-saving plan in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing energy crisis.
According to the plan, Spain is to lower its consumption of gas by 7-8 per cent, compared to a 15 per cent saving most other EU countries are seeking.
Since August 10, all public areas such as shopping malls, cinemas, offices, stores, hotels, train stations, and airports are prohibited from cooling their rooms to below 27 degrees.
Along with numerous other measures, the lighting of offices, shops, and several monuments across the country must be turned off from 10 p.m., provided the space is no longer being used.
–IANS
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