Stop Russian gas? We don’t have a solution, says the Deputy Minister of Commerce

According to Ndola, about 2 percent of the total domestic gas consumption is extracted in the Czech Republic, and the rest is almost exclusively Russian gas. “There is no solution if gas supplies stop overnight,” he said.

According to Nadella, a large part of the whole of Europe will have a problem. The only possible approach would be the joint purchase of gas within the European Union and an indication of its relative distribution among member states, as in the case of coronavirus vaccines.

According to Ndola, operations could resume at decommissioned coal-fired power plants in the Czech Republic to secure power. He could imagine an agreement with the owners to supply this electricity directly to the most vulnerable classes, so as not to sell it through the exchange. However, according to the deputy, restoring the operation of the power plant will not be easy due to the failure rate and mode of operation.

On Sunday, the commission also talked about investments in savings and self-sufficiency, for example in the form of rooftop photovoltaic plants. “But there is a shortage of materials and installation companies,” he said.

On the acquisition of gas reserves, Nadel said that the state could not buy them because it would cost about 150 billion crowns. “It’s not going to help cover all the consumption anyway,” he said. According to him, the possibility is to create an incentive system for traders who will buy the quantity demanded by the state. He added that if they buy less gas, then the rest can be bought directly by the state or someone entrusted to it.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday, according to which Russia will no longer receive euros or dollars for gas destined for Europe from Friday, and demands payment in rubles. The state gas giant Gazprom was ordered to amend supply contracts in this way. Czech gas suppliers have previously stated that they will not jeopardize supply measures because they buy gas from European wholesale markets or at virtual points of sale from various major energy suppliers.

Putin said that if payments are not made, gas supply contracts will be suspended. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and German Economy Minister Robert Habeck dismissed Putin’s allegations, saying they were unacceptable breaches of contract and extortion. According to the ministers, the two countries are preparing to stop gas supplies from Russia.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Austrian colleague Karel Nahammer later said at a press conference in Berlin that they refused to pay for Russian gas supplies in rubles. Schultz added that he had already informed Russian President Putin in a phone conversation and that it was now up to the head of the Kremlin to act. The two advisers agreed that the current treaties provided for the European currency, the euro.