Germany cuts hot water, dims street lights and closes swimming pools amid risks looming over energy crisis, Financial Times reports.

A massive increase in gas prices, triggered by Russia's decision last month to drastically cut supplies to Germany, has sent Europe's largest economy into its worst energy crisis since the 1973 oil price spike..

As tensions rise over Russia's war in Ukraine, officials fear things could get worse. On Monday, Russia is closing its Nord Stream 1 main pipeline to Germany for 10 days of scheduled repairs.. Many in Berlin fear it will never open again.

Germany took a decisive step towards gas rationing last month when Economics Minister Robert Haback activated the second phase of the country's gas contingency plan..

Habek said that he now showers less often and called on the population to save energy - and municipalities and property owners heeded the call.

On Thursday, Vonovia, the country's largest landlord, said it would lower the temperature of its tenants' gas central heating to 17 degrees from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.. According to him, this measure will save 8 percent of heating costs..

This week, a housing association in the Saxon town of Dippoldiswalde, close to the Czech border, allowed residents to take hot showers from 4:00 to 8:00, 11:00 to 13:00 and 17:00 to 21:00. “We have to stock up for the winter,” they explain there..

Such measures could become routine in the coming weeks.. Helmut Dedy, head of the German Cities Association, said "

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Dedi appealed to city councils across the country to take emergency measures. He had several suggestions: turn off traffic lights at night; turn off hot water in council buildings, museums and sports centers; adjust air conditioners; stop covering historic buildings.

Some have already taken action. The Lahn-Dill district near Frankfurt has been turning off hot water in its 86 schools and 60 gyms since mid-September, hoping it will save 100,000 euros on electricity costs, and Dusseldorf has temporarily closed the huge Munster-Therme swimming pool complex.

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Meanwhile, Berlin has lowered the temperature by 2 degrees in outdoor pools.. In western Germany, Cologne dims street lights to 70 percent of full power from 11 p.m..

Households are also taking action by refurbishing wood stoves and fireplaces.. Sales of firewood, pellets and coal, as well as gas cartridges and gas cartridges have skyrocketed..

It is not clear how much such measures will mitigate the impact of the increase in heating fees..

The GdW said that the war in Ukraine would raise energy prices for consumers by 71-200 percent, resulting in additional annual costs of between 1,000 and 2,700 euros for a one-person household and up to 3,800 euros for four people compared to 2021 levels.

Nationwide energy saving campaign launched in Germany on June 10. By that time, the inhabitants of the country had been intensively reducing the consumption of electricity, gas and oil products for several months: 77% of Germans began to save, according to the results of a representative survey conducted by the Federal Association of Energy and Water Supply Enterprises.