The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine has had serious consequences for the gas supply in Austria. If the gas supply from Russia were to be completely disrupted, we would face an economic and social catastrophe. Getting out of this dependency is a tour de force, says Environment and Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler, on the show “Krone LIVE” with Jana Pasching. “Our entire pipeline has been focused on Russia for years.”
“We need to reduce gas consumption where possible, expand renewable gas and look for other supplying countries. Compared to other EU countries, Austria is in an extremely difficult situation. That’s why it’s a tour de force that everyone on board needs.” The bitter reality: It will be a few more years before we get rid of Russian gas. But: “We can do it in 2027 if everyone is there.”
Emergency plan for Mellach power plant: ‘As a climate politician, it doesn’t make me happy’
In view of the looming gas bottleneck in Austria, the Austrian government relies on coal. The Mellach power station in Styria is again being modernized so that electricity and heat can be produced from coal instead of natural gas in an emergency. “As a climate politician, I am not happy with that. I was delighted to put the last piece of coal in the museum, but it is a special situation.”
The technical conversion of the power station has a lead time of several months and the coal must also be purchased. The association is therefore running at full speed, according to Gewessler.
You can watch the entire interview with Energy and Environment Secretary Leonore Gewessler in the video above.
We explain what everyone is thinking about right now: the latest news conversations with politicians and experts.
Source: Krone
I’m an experienced news author and editor based in New York City. I specialize in covering healthcare news stories for Today Times Live, helping to keep readers informed on the latest developments related to the industry. I have a deep understanding of medical topics, including emerging treatments and drugs, the changing laws that regulate healthcare providers, and other matters that affect public health.
