Gazprom also supplies less gas to the Czech Republic and Austria

Enlarge image

Gas storage facility in Haidach, Austria: if necessary, additional purchases on the spot market

Photo: Manfred Fesl / dpa

After Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria also report reduced gas deliveries from Russia.

A spokesman for the Czech utility CEZ said on Thursday there were restrictions related to technical problems.

A spokesman for the Austrian oil and gas group OMV said that the Russian supplier Gazprom had informed about a reduction.

“We will replace these quantities with storage quantities and quantities from the spot market, if necessary at all due to the lower gas demand.

The supply of our customers is currently guaranteed.«

Gazprom had already reduced gas deliveries to Germany for two days this week, citing delays in the repair of gas compressors as the reason.

Only a transmission of 100 million cubic meters of gas per day can be ensured instead of the usual 167 million cubic meters - a good 40 percent less than usual.

The reason for the reduced deliveries is, among other things, that several compressors from the German Siemens group are currently missing at the starting point of the pipeline following repair work.

However, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck denies that the maintenance of the compression systems manufactured by Siemens is subject to European sanctions against Russia.

The maintenance runs through Canada – his house is in talks “with the Canadians” on the subject.

The suspicion arises that technical reasons are only pretended.

The strategy behind this is obviously to create uncertainty and drive up prices.

The past few days have shown how important it is to free oneself from dependence on Russia, Habeck said on Thursday.

The expansion of renewable energies is also a question of national and European security.

In a video distributed via Twitter, the Green politician also called again to save energy.

“Now is the time to do that.” Every kilowatt hour helps.

mike/Reuters