Germany's finance ministry wants to use credit authorisations already created for a pandemic relief fund to help energy companies through the state development bank KfW, German business daily Handelsblatt reported, citing government sources.

The idea is to strengthen KfW's ability to provide guarantees and liquidity assistance, and would involve credit authorisations of about 67 billion euros ($67.97 billion), Handelsblatt reported.

The cabinet plans to adopt on Wednesday draft legislation to be put to parliamentary groups, Handelsblatt added.

($1 = 0.9857 euros) (Writing by Miranda Murray, editing by Rachel More)