Image Credit: The Moscow Times
Austria is set to face a disruption in its gas supplies from Russia starting Saturday, as confirmed by a spokeswoman for OMV, the country’s leading energy company. OMV reported that Russian energy giant Gazprom has officially notified them of the cessation of gas deliveries. This announcement comes as tensions between Russia and European nations continue to rise, particularly in the wake of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which has led to shifts in energy dependencies across the European Union.
OMV’s spokeswoman revealed that the company was informed by Gazprom on Friday about the imminent halt of gas deliveries. Although this marks a significant disruption, Austria’s Minister for the Environment, Leonore Gewessler, reassured the public that the country’s energy supply remains stable. She stated that Austria had been preparing for such an eventuality and pointed to the country’s full domestic gas storage facilities, which could meet over a year’s worth of consumption. “Austria has been preparing for this situation for a long time,” Gewessler noted in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This announcement follows a separate issue involving OMV, which was awarded 230 million euros ($243 million) after launching arbitration proceedings against Gazprom due to irregular gas supplies to Germany. The arbitration award was made under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and will be immediately offset against payments due to Gazprom.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European nations have been working to reduce their reliance on Russian energy. The recent cut in gas deliveries highlights ongoing geopolitical challenges and the shifting dynamics of energy supply in Europe. OMV has warned that the halt in gas deliveries may signal a further deterioration of its contractual relationship with Gazprom Export, with the possibility of additional supply disruptions in the future.