Salzburg AG boss: A third of the use of gas can be replaced by oil
The state energy supplier Salzburg AG will replace around a third of its gas use with oil. “You can roughly extrapolate that to Austria,” said Salzburg AG Director General Leonhard Schitter on Wednesday evening in the ZIB 2 . The surprising oil transit stop from Kazakhstan does not play a major role for Salzburg AG. “We get the oil from international traders,” says Schitter. The supply contracts have already been concluded.
question panel asked
Against the backdrop of falling gas storage rates, the government’s crisis committee met on Tuesday to discuss the current situation. Large consumers were instructed to convert as far as possible to alternative sources of energy – above all oil. The head of Salzburg AG described the lengthy repairs to the OMV refinery in Schwechat as a “big problem” in terms of security of supply. The order of the day is the expansion of renewable energy. Schitter criticized the much too long process times for energy projects. What is needed is a list of the most important infrastructure projects that can be agreed on politically and then quickly implemented. “We have to double our working hours.”
“Communicate much more clearly”
The government’s information policy with regard to the tense energy situation and the corresponding emergency plans has “improved” according to the Salzburg AG director general. But it should be “much clearer and more openly communicated”. Schitter considers it “realistic” that at some point no gas will flow from Russia to Austria. “We can submerge for a few short weeks.” But if the Russian gas supply freeze lasts longer, then the government should take energy control measures. “We still have a lot of questions.”
Due to the sharp rise in wholesale prices for electricity and gas, end consumers must expect high energy prices in the coming months. “We have to give the customer a clear picture,” said Schitter. “I don’t expect energy prices to move down.”