After Austria’s dependence on Russian gas was still 79 percent at the outbreak of war in Ukraine at the end of February, the situation has since improved significantly and was down to just 21 percent in September, according to a calculation by E-Control.
According to the Ministry of Climate Protection, it was possible to partially replace gas supplies from Russia within this period. Austria has booked line capacities of 40 terawatt hours (TWh) to Germany and Italy. This enabled Austria to source gas from Norway, liquid gas and, to a lesser extent, gas from North Africa and Central Asia.
“We have taken a big step away from dependence on Russian gas. I want to thank everyone who made this possible – the energy suppliers who tried to find new supplier countries and all the people who save energy at home,” said Minister of Climate Protection Leonore Gewessler (Greens).
Total cessation of Russian gas as a target
However, Gewessler puts it into perspective: “We are not yet at the end of the road, we are only really free when we can completely do without Russian gas. We work hard on this every day.”
Austria’s gas storage facilities are also filled well in time for the winter – more than 90 percent by the end of October. About 60 percent of these belong to Austrian storage customers or the Austrian state.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
