Wien Energie Strengthens Independence By Reducing Russian Gas

PeoplePoliticians ♦ Published: October 22, 2023; 14:28 ♦ (Vindobona)

With the start of the heating season in Vienna, ushered in by a sudden drop in temperatures after an unusually warm start to October, the essential issue of energy supply security is once again coming to the fore. In light of ongoing geopolitical tensions, Wien Energie, Austria's largest energy supplier, has taken proactive measures to secure heating supplies for the coming winter while reducing dependence on Russian natural gas.

Wien Energie is purchasing less and less natural gas from Russia - most recently, the share was cut to one third. Instead, more gas is being sourced from northern Europe. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons, Bwag, CC BY-SA 4.0

One of the key strategies in this process was the purchase of 2.5 terawatt hours of non-Russian natural gas, mainly from Norway, which reduces the share of Russian natural gas by 30 percent. This volume is equivalent to the annual heating needs of about 300,000 households and plays a critical role in securing district heating supplies in the city.

Peter Hanke, City Councillor…