Czech Republic taps into Algeria for new gas supply
The Czech Republic is continuing its efforts to become independent from Russian energy resources. As of October, Czechs are closer to achieving this goal, particularly in terms of gas supply. The country has secured a new supplier, marking its first from Africa.
10:19 AM EST, November 10, 2024
Last month, the Czech Republic began importing natural gas from Algeria, according to the company ČEZ. The resource is delivered via pipelines through Tunisia and Italy. This volume of imports meets the needs of 100,000 households, stated a spokesperson for the Prague-based Czech energy company.
The supplier is the Algerian state-owned company Sonatrach. "We have taken another step to increase our energy security," commented Daniel Benes, CEO of ČEZ, as quoted by the Saudi Al-Arabiya news service.
The Czech Republic also imports gas from Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands. The nation aims to cut Russia's budget revenues from the sale of "blue fuel" by diversifying its supply sources and using energy resources more conservatively.
In 2023, Czechs consumed 239 billion cubic feet of gas, a decrease of 10.4% compared to 2022, reports the Arabian portal.
Billions of euros into Putin's "wallet"
The Czech path to independence from Russian energy is still long, and achieving it means not contributing financially to Vladimir Putin's regime and its military aggression.
In October, the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research in Helsinki and the Center for Democracy Studies in Sofia published reports indicating that from the start of the invasion on February 24, 2022, until the end of June 2024, Czechs paid Russia 7 billion euros (7.5 billion dollars) for gas and oil. Additionally, these imports generated 2.3 billion euros (2.5 billion dollars) in tax revenues for the Kremlin.
It is important to note that Czechs, like Slovaks and Hungarians, still benefit from exemptions from EU restrictions on purchasing Russian energy resources.
"We have managed to significantly reduce imports of Russian energy raw materials into the European Union, but we need to continue this effort," wrote Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela to European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson in September.
