Austria has been officially informed by Gazprom of the imminent cessation of gas deliveries from Saturday. This decision marks a major turning point in energy relations between the two countries, putting an end to cooperation which began in 1968 with the signing of the first delivery contract between the Austrian company OMV and the Soviet Union.
According to an OMV spokesperson, this announcement comes in the context of a conflict surrounding an arbitration decision rendered on Wednesday. This judgment gave OMV the right to claim 230 million euros from Gazprom for past supply problems, notably following the invasion of Ukraine and the reduction of gas flows in 2022 via the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
A historic dependence on Russian gas
In the summer of 2024, Austria was still 90% dependent on Russian gas deliveries, transported mainly via Ukraine. This sudden stop puts an end to nearly six decades of energy dependence, forcing the country to quickly diversify its sources of supply.
OMV, 31.5% owned by the Austrian state, had anticipated this deterioration in relations with Gazprom Export. The company had already reduced its dependence on Russian gas, increasing its imports via pipelines from Germany and Italy.
Measures to guarantee supply
Despite the cessation of deliveries, the Minister of the Environment and Energy, Leonore Gewessler, affirmed on the X platform that the country's energy security was assured. She stressed that storage reserves were full and that alternative supply capacities were available. These measures aim to prevent an energy crisis similar to that of winter 2022, which weakened several European countries.
The volumes affected by this shutdown are substantial. OMV said the potentially affected supply would amount to approximately 7,400 megawatt hours per hour, or 5 terawatt hours per month. This volume highlights the strategic importance of Russian gas for the Austrian energy system.
An energy conflict amplified by the war in Ukraine
Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has regularly been accused of using energy as a lever for geopolitical pressure. The Austrian minister did not hesitate to describe this decision as “a new use of energy as a weapon”.
The halt in deliveries also reflects a broader trend within the European Union. Several member states have drastically reduced their dependence on Russian gas, increasing efforts to diversify their sources, in particular through the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
This interruption could mark a new stage in the reorganization of the European energy landscape. Austria, while ensuring its resilience, will likely need to step up its efforts for a sustainable and secure energy transition.
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