Method for producing gaseous compressed oxygen having variable power consumption by low temperature separation of air in a distillation column system that has a high-pressure column and a low-pressure column, in which - feed air in the form of a total air stream is cooled in a main heat exchanger, - at least a part of the cooled feed air is introduced into the high-pressure column, - a first oxygen stream from the low-pressure column is pressurized in the liquid state, - the pressurized first oxygen stream is vaporized or pseudo-vaporized and warmed in the main heat exchanger, - the warmed first oxygen stream is obtained as a gaseous compressed oxygen product, - a first substream of the feed air, before entry thereof into the main heat exchanger, is brought to a first high pressure which is at least 4 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column, - the first substream is liquefied or pseudo-liquefied at the first high pressure in the main heat exchanger and subsequently introduced into the distillation column system, - a second substream of the feed air is brought to a second high pressure (9, 10) that is at least 4 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column, - the second substream is cooled in the main heat exchanger only to an intermediate temperature, - the second substream that is cooled to the intermediate temperature is work-producingly expanded and subsequently introduced into the distillation column system, - wherein, in a first mode of operation - a first total air amount is cooled in the main heat exchanger, - a first turbine amount, as second substream, is fed to the work-producing expansion, - and wherein, in a second mode of operation - a second total air amount is cooled in the main heat exchanger, which second total air amount is less than the first total air amount and, - a second turbine amount is fed as second substream to the work-producing expansion which second turbine amount is less than the first turbine amount - and wherein - the total air stream, upstream of its cooling the the main heat exchanger, is compressed in a main air compressor, - in the second mode of operation, a second oxygen stream is introduced from an external source outside the distillation column system into the low-pressure column in the liquid state, characterized in that - in the first mode of operation, the first and second substreams (13, 16) are together (8, 12) boosted in a pair of parallel-connected boosters (9, 10). - feed air in the form of a total air stream is cooled in a main heat exchanger, - at least a part of the cooled feed air is introduced into the high-pressure column, - a first oxygen stream from the low-pressure column is pressurized in the liquid state, - the pressurized first oxygen stream is vaporized or pseudo-vaporized and warmed in the main heat exchanger, - the warmed first oxygen stream is obtained as a gaseous compressed oxygen product, - a first substream of the feed air, before entry thereof into the main heat exchanger, is brought to a first high pressure which is at least 4 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column, - the first substream is liquefied or pseudo-liquefied at the first high pressure in the main heat exchanger and subsequently introduced into the distillation column system, - a second substream of the feed air is brought to a second high pressure (9, 10) that is at least 4 bar higher than the operating pressure of the high-pressure column, - the second substream is cooled in the main heat exchanger only to an intermediate temperature, - the second substream that is cooled to the intermediate temperature is work-producingly expanded and subsequently introduced into the distillation column system, - wherein, in a first mode of operation - a first total air amount is cooled in the main heat exchanger, - a first turbine amount, as second substream, is fed to the work-producing expansion, - a first total air amount is cooled in the main heat exchanger, - a first turbine amount, as second substream, is fed to the work-producing expansion, - and wherein, in a second mode of operation - a second total air amount is cooled in the main heat exchanger, which second total air amount is less than the first total air amount and, - a second turbine amount is fed as second substream to the work-producing expansion which second turbine amount is less than the first turbine amount - a second total air amount is cooled in the main heat exchanger, which second total air amount is less than the first total air amount and, - a second turbine amount is fed as second substream to the work-producing expansion which second turbine amount is less than the first turbine amount - and wherein - the total air stream, upstream of its cooling the the main heat exchanger, is compressed in a main air compressor, - in the second mode of operation, a second oxygen stream is introduced from an external source outside the distillation column system into the low-pressure column in the liquid state, characterized in that - in the first mode of operation, the first and second substreams (13, 16) are together (8, 12) boosted in a pair of parallel-connected boosters (9, 10).