HUNGARY: Spokesman says Hungary will receive gas from Germany as it deal with energy crisis

Record ID: 755734

  • Title: HUNGARY: Spokesman says Hungary will receive gas from Germany as it deal with energy crisis
  • Date: 8th January 2009
  • Summary: HAJDUSZOBOSZLO, HUNGARY (JANUARY 7, 2009) (REUTERS) FLAME BURNING AT E.ON STORAGE PLANT VARIOUS OF E.ON GAS STORAGE PLANT HUNGARIAN ENERGY MINISTER, CSABA MOLNAR WALKING WITH CEO OF E.ON GAS STORAGE COMPANY GAS PIPES VARIOUS OF MOLNAR BEING SHOWN INFORMATION ON SCREEN VARIOUS OF CONTROL ROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) HUNGARIAN ENERGY MINISTER CSABA MOLNAR, SAYING: "As a result of our efforts, Ruhrgas informed E.ON that from tomorrow, they will supply 2.5 million cubic metres of gas from Germany on the western pipeline for at least 10 days. This is not Russian gas so there will be no problems with supply."
  • Embargoed: 23rd January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Hungary
  • Country: Hungary
  • Topics: International Relations,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA70COTA3EZI1G4TKULDHH63ZR2
  • Story Text: Hungary's energy minister toured the country's main gas storage facility on Wednesday (January 7), the day after Russian gas supplies were cut off.
    But Csaba Molnar said that for the time being there would be no need to resort to using strategic safety reserves, as the country would be receiving some gas supplies from Germany.

    "Ruhrgas informed E.ON that from tomorrow, they will supply 2.5 million cubic metres of gas from Germany on the western pipeline for at least 10 days. This is not Russian gas so there will be no problems with supply," he said.
    Hungary limited natural gas consumption by industrial users after the gas shipments via Ukraine stopped, gas transmission company Foldgazszallito Zrt said on Wednesday.
    Consumption by the biggest users was limited late on Tuesday (January 6) and restrictions were extended to a wider circle of industrial consumers at 0700 GMT on Wednesday morning, the company said in a statement.
    The main international airport in Budapest switched to oil from gas heating on Wednesday and the normal running of the airport was not affected, the airport operator said.
    Local news agency MTI reported that the airport, owned by Germany's Hochtief AG (HOTG.DE), was among industrial users whose gas consumption had been limited.
    Spokesman Domokos Szollar said heating from Wednesday morning was being provided by the airport's strategic oil reserves.

    "In the past years we always heated with natural gas, there was no need to use the reserves. So I cannot tell how much this system will cost for us, but I think, we will have some extra costs. But we see this from another perspective: the airport must run, it makes no difference what it costs,"
    he said.
    The airport has about 70,000-80,000 litres of oil reserves.
    But ordinary people are becoming increasingly worried about how the crisis might affect them.
    Aniko Dobi lives in the village of Nagyhegyes near to the E.ON storage plant and is considering her options for other energy sources.

    "We were really surprised to hear that there would be gas use limitations as we thought it wouldn't come to that. Now we fear that small users, ordinary people may also be affected and our gas could be taken away.
    What would we do then? Use a tile stove or fireplace? We don't know what to expect now," she said.
    Hungary's annual gas consumption is around 13-14 billion cubic metres.
    Around 80 percent comes from Russia on pipelines through Ukraine and the rest is from domestic production.
    The country has about 3.8 billion cubic metres of gas in storage, including strategic reserves.
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