Wien Energie is now the first domestic energy company to completely phase out Russian natural gas. There are no additional costs for customers. And: “Anyone who buys gas or heat from Wien Energie can be sure that it will not finance the Russian war.”
Around 80 percent of domestic gas consumption is still covered by Russian gas. Although gas consumption in Austria has fallen significantly since the Russian attack on Ukraine, Russia is still the most important source for Austria. But not for Vienna in the future. Wien Energie will phase out Russian natural gas in 2025. This applies to the supply of private and business customers as well as to the operation of power plants and district heating. Wien Energie is the first Austrian energy service provider and one of the largest gas consumers and suppliers that can demonstrably cover its own gas needs entirely from alternative sources, mainly from the North Sea.
“Russia is no longer a reliable partner”
“Security of supply is our top priority,” emphasized Peter Hanke (SPÖ), Vienna’s city council member for Finance and Economy. “Russia is not a reliable partner for Europe, which is why we have consistently opted for an exit.” This step is a direct response to the geopolitical uncertainties that have had a lasting impact on European energy policy since Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. As early as 2022, Wien Energie began specifically purchasing non-Russian gas, for example from North Africa and Norway. For the coming year, the purchase of 10 terawatt hours (10 billion kilowatt hours) of gas from alternative sources has been secured. The relevant contracts have been signed in recent days.
No extra costs and no money for war
An important message for the people of Vienna: switching to non-Russian gas will not entail any additional costs. The associated additional costs, which Wien Energie estimates will be in the order of several million euros, will be borne from its own resources. “We will not pass on these costs,” assured Michael Strebl, Chairman of the Board of Wien Energie. “Anyone who buys gas or district heating from us can be sure that no more money will be used indirectly to finance the Russian war.”
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
