German Economics Minister Philipp Roesler met Tuesday with Russian officials with the focus on energy cooperation between the two countries amid Berlin's plans to phase out Germany's nuclear power plants, dpa reported. On a one-day visit - his first to Russia as Germany's new economics minister - Roesler spoke of the growing importance of natural gas-fired power plants in the German energy mix. But he said this should not lead to a greater dependence by Germany on Russian gas deliveries, which now already account for one-third of German gas imports. "Gas will become important. And we are also planning to build gas-powered plants more quickly," Roesler said. Because wind and solar power production is subject to strong fluctuations, and with nuclear plants due for being closed down, gas-powered plants will be crucial in delivering more electricity in Germany in the years ahead, he noted. Russian gas monopoly Gazprom is hoping to export more natural gas to Germany at higher prices in view of Berlin's plans to shut down its nuclear power plants. The main German importer of Russian gas, the Eon utility company, has already voiced complaints that Russia's gas has become over-expensive because of Gazprom's mechanism of coupling gas prices to oil market trends. Roesler, in reviewing bilateral trade issues, said in a statement before his arrival that Germany's top priority was helping Russia "strengthen the legal and institutional environment for small and medium enterprises ... and promote cooperation between large and medium-sized companies," Roesler said in a statement. Energy efficiency, healthcare and high-speed rail traffic were other areas in which Germany was hoping to increase trade with Russia, he said. Russia and Germany are major trading partners, with Germany's main exports including machines and other manufactured goods, in exchange for Russian industrial commodities and energy. Trade between the two countries was likely to exceed 100 billion dollars in 2011, according to the German government statement.
