Sanctions against Russia: Austria wants to be able to block Gazprom storage facilities in the country in the future

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Haidach storage station near Straßwalchen: One of the largest underground natural gas storage facilities in Europe

Photo: Manfred Fesl / dpa

»If Gazprom doesn't store, then others will have access«: Austria's Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler has announced that the Russian company can in future be withdrawn from using the storage facility in Haidach, which is important for Germany.

And: With further steps, the dependency on gas supplies from the country should be reduced, said the Green politician.

Haidach near Salzburg is one of the largest underground natural gas storage facilities in Europe and serves to supply Germany.

Some of the gas has so far been pumped back from Germany to the Austrian states of Tyrol and Vorarlberg.

Even if the modern storage facility is currently primarily used to ensure the supply of German customers, it also plays a strategically important role for Austria because of the return transport.

Austria is looking for other gas suppliers

In view of the war in Ukraine and the uncertainties surrounding the gas supply, all storage facilities located on Austrian territory are to be connected to the Austrian grid according to government plans.

This means that the gas from the Haidach storage facility is to be delivered directly to Austria.

The government in Vienna criticizes that the Haidach storage facility is currently empty.

Located near the Bavarian border, the facility is Europe's second-largest natural gas storage facility, operated in part by Gazprom subsidiary GSA.

"It hasn't been stored in this memory for months, which means the memory isn't being filled," said Gewessler.

For the government, this state of affairs can no longer be tolerated.

According to the planned ordinance, gas storage users should be obliged to offer or return unused capacities to others.

Another part of the storage is used by the Gazprom Germania subsidiary Astora.

Because Gazprom Germania is under German state administration, this part is filled.

Austria is now planning to increase its strategic gas reserve by 7.4 terawatt hours (TWh) to 20 TWh with the help of non-Russian suppliers.

This corresponds to the consumption of two winter months.

It is still unclear where the gas will come from.

However, the Russian share of Austria's supply should fall from the current 80 to 70 percent.

Austria is currently one of the most dependent countries in the European Union.

Apr/dpa/Reuters