German big business is drafting a plan to use an auction system to help ration available supplies in the event Russia cuts off its gas, although some fear it could punish smaller firms.
Discussions on possible rationing have gathered urgency after Russia halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland last month.
That heightened concerns the same will happen to Germany, which is heavily dependent on Russian gas and is approaching a deadline this month to pay for the fuel under a ruble scheme demanded by Moscow.