"Storage facilities are full"

Gas stop from Russia: how the Styrians will be affected

Will Ukraine turn off the gas tap on New Year's Eve?

(Bild: AP)

The transit of Russian gas through Ukraine could end at the turn of the year. There are no direct supply connections to Styria, but the consequences could still affect Styrian households and companies. 

"We currently assume that there will be no more gas from Russia from New Year's Eve." Peter Weinelt, General Director of Wiener Stadtwerke, confirmed this to the "Krone" newspaper at the weekend. Background: The transit contract for Russian gas through Ukraine expires at the end of the year. The Ukrainians, who have been subjected to a brutal Russian war of aggression for almost three years, do not want to extend it. The gas tap is likely to be turned off.

"We don't buy any gas from Russia, our contracts were terminated a few years ago," emphasizes Urs Harnik, spokesman for Energie Steiermark. The regional energy supplier therefore buys gas on international exchanges or in countries such as Italy. It remains to be seen how the price situation on the exchanges would change in the event of a transit stop. Prices have already risen again recently anyway. However, Harnik also notes: "The storage facilities are still well filled."

Many private households in Styria have given up their gas heating in recent years.

Urs Harnik, Energie Steiermark

Industry is the main consumer of gas
Gas does not play a major role in private households in Styria anyway; more than 90 percent of consumption here is attributable to industry. However, according to Harnik, demand here has also been declining recently: on the one hand due to the weakening economy, and on the other because companies have long been turning to alternatives such as hydrogen or photovoltaics.