Czech gas storage facilities 93% full, enough gas ahead of winter, ministry says

Domestic gas storage facilities are currently 93 percent full. As of today, they hold 3,240 million cubic metres of gas, which is a slightly above-average level for this period. However, their level is several percentage points lower than last year. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) said today. According to the ministry, there is enough gas ahead of winter.

„We are well prepared for winter; thanks to our responsible approach, Czech gas storage facilities are once again more than 90 percent full,“ said Industry and Trade Minister Lukáš Vlček (STAN).

According to him, Czechia has also met the EU regulation requiring member states to fill their storage facilities to at least 90 percent by today.

The situation has also been helped so far by overall gas consumption. According to the ministry, nearly 200 million cubic metres of the commodity have been saved compared with last year. Since the start of September, however, consumption has been rising due to colder year-on-year weather, meaning storage levels are slightly lower than at the same time last year.

Gas is currently flowing into the Czech Republic from several sources. Most supplies to the country come from Germany, which primarily receives gas from Norway as well as liquefied natural gas from LNG terminals in the Netherlands. Some supplies also consist of Russian gas via Slovakia. According to the ministry, gas is imported into Czechia by private companies, which are primarily guided by price.

„We have already shown that we can manage without Russian gas, and we must now do everything possible to ensure this remains the case in the future. Not only for gas, but also for other raw materials. It is not morally justifiable for us to financially support the rearmament of a regime that has labelled us its enemy and that kills children and innocent civilians. We have worked hard to cut off gas supplies from Russia by securing alternative supplies, such as leasing an LNG terminal in the Netherlands, and we will continue to do so,“ Vlček added.

Algeria will also become a new source of gas for Czechia. Energy company ČEZ this week signed a contract for gas supplies from local company Sonatrach. It will source from Algeria approximately two percent of Czechia's annual gas consumption, equivalent to the consumption of around 100,000 households. Deliveries began in October and the gas flows to Europe via an undersea pipeline.