Network operator warns hoteliers of possible disruptions in gas supply
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Beautiful hotels soon empty hotels? There is still no clear information about the gas shortage for businesses on Usedom, but there are "threatening" letters. / Photo: Seetel Hotels |
Bansin/Usedom (December 2, 2022). The German government claims that gas storage facilities are full. Nevertheless, hotelier Rolf Seelige-Steinhoff and eight colleagues on the island of Usedom have since received an official letter stating that the gas supply in their area may be "threatened" or "disturbed." This sounds harmless, but it's the beginning of a fine legal balancing act with the state, which is set to close the hotels if necessary in the event of a gas shortage.
"We received an official notice ten days ago informing us of the next stage in the gas drama," explains Rolf Seelige-Steinhoff, Managing Partner of the Seetel resort hotel group with 17 hotels on the German isle of Usedom. He feared a negative development in this matter four weeks ago. He spoke then to hospitalityInside in an interview having discovered that three of his hotels were on the closure list of the regional network agency (see link below).
The letter comes from the utility company Gasversorgung Vorpommern Netz GmbH (GVP) based in Trassenheide - a regional network operator. It is effectively the owner of the energy networks in the region, which means that it owns the lines and pipes through which natural gas flows. It also owns the meters that measure gas/electricity consumption - and forwards this data to the Federal Network Agency in Berlin. The agency is a state agency and is attached to the Ministry of Economy.
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| Hospitality in the flagship Ahlbecker Hof. How will the guests react react in the event of a crisis? / Photo: Seetel Hotels |
Supplier warns of risk
On one A4 page, the GVP informs the Seetel Hotel Group in sober administrative German, stating: "We hereby inform you that, concerning following network coupling point(s) / exit zone(s) … a threat to the security of gas supply and/or a disturbance in our transport system may occur / already has occured. Due to this circumstances there may be a need to interrupt or shorten capacities according to § 16 EnWG [Energy Industry Act]."
The standard email for this purpose is just as concise. According to the email, the company has sent this information "as part of the process according to the guideline for crisis prevention gas of the cooperation agreement between the operators of gas supply networks located in Germany (KoV) in the currently valid version." And then there is a request for the company to confirm receipt of the email to the three addresses mentioned.
Meanwhile, eight other hoteliers - and presumably a total of 50 companies from the region - have received the new notice, as Michael Raffelt, Hotel Association of the Isle of Usedom tells us. Three hotels of the Seetel Group are now officially affected: the flagship Ahlbecker Hof (5 stars) and the Ostseehotel (4 stars) located a few meters away, as well as the Kaiserstrand Beachhotel (4 stars), all hotels in premium locations.
The letter makes it clear that the hotel group must now make concrete preparations for shutting down operations because it has now been officially informed of a possible supply shortage, i.e. that its hotels can no longer be adequately supplied with gas. In addition, the Federal Network Agency reported some time ago on its website about so-called 'shortage' zones. These areas can be shut down entirely so that not only commercial operations but even private households will be affected.
Lawyers think ahead
The Seetel Hotel Group is thus alarmed and is discussing internally how the letter - which requires a signature - should be legally evaluated. The Group's lawyers see this as an invitation to formally prepare for a shutdown of operations, possibly also under the aspect of possible damage mitigation obligations, which the Group must meet. After all: If the hotels are closed, the company would - first of all theoretically - be able to claim compensation from the state. Possible claims can be asserted on the legal basis of §11 EnSiG[Energy Security Act].
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| Michael Raffelt: The renewed uncertainty is causing employees to quit again. / Photo: private |
"We now have a crisis and activities plan in place for almost every hotel, not just the three hotels I mentioned," Seelige-Steinhoff says. He is very concerned about the idea of a compromised or disrupted gas supply in practice: What happens when the gas lines run dry and fill with air? "When the pressure drops, certain areas and businesses are affected faster, we know that now," says the hotelier. And what happens when the gas lines are later brought back up? Will the gas heaters in the building come back on? That's where the next problem comes in.
The hotelier is already thinking through the various scenarios. His aim is not to spread panic, but rather to avoid it if things deteriorate further. What would happen if you had to vacate a fully booked hotel, for example? As mentioned in the last article, the hotel operator would have a maximum of 8 hours to do this.
Hotel Association Usedom: Hope of 'mature' guest response
Michael Raffelt, Chairman of the Hotel Associatiof the Isle of Usedom (HIU) with 32 hotels, which are among the most important on the island, shares the concerns. On Wednesday, Usedom hoteliers joined forces online to discuss the possible consequences of a gas bottleneck for their guests. "Colleagues who attended the meeting agreed that we will assume that we have 'responsible guests' who are aware of the problems faced in this coming winter, when travelling - even when staying in a hotel - and who should think about possible restrictions. We assume that if it does come down to the gas being shut off, that there will be a lead time that will also give guests some leeway in making decisions." And in extreme cases, that the hotelier will have to send guests home. But as long as possible, hoteliers will do their best.
A gas shortage in the hotel would logically be the absolute knockout criterion for a traveller... But so would a power outage. Hoteliers on Usedom are already thinking about this, too. They do not want to go public with bad news. "Panic is the last thing that helps us".
The situation of the hotels varies greatly in terms of energy supply, Raffelt reports. Installing another oil heating system as a gas alternative is already impossible due to the lack of space; the plots of land are usually far too small and tightly built. A number of hotels at least still have old contracts that do not expire until the end of 2023 or 2024. The first consequences can already be felt in the staffing situation: The threat of gas shortages alone prompted the first hotel employees to quit. They do not want to be put on short-time working again and so have to forego salary yet again. The shock from corona runs deep.
HospitalityInside also posed questions to the Managing Director of Gasversorgung Vorpommern Netz GmbH, the regional network operator which sent the above-mentioned letter. As of the close of editing last night, we had received no response. / Maria Pütz-Willems
