The Czech Republic has saved around 850 million cubic meters of gas in the current heating season, compared to last year, meeting the EU’s target of reducing consumption by at least 15 percent this winter. This was announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT). The warm weather has contributed to this saving and high energy prices have also prompted Czechs to conserve gas.

The commitment to reduce gas consumption was approved by EU energy ministers last July. The agreement envisaged savings of at least 15 percent of consumption from October 2022 to March this year compared to the previous heating season. For the Czech Republic, this meant an obligation to save at least 800 million cubic meters of gas, which the ministry said was achieved in mid-January.

According to the ministry’s data, domestic storage tanks are 80 percent full, with around 2,750 million cubic meters of gas. The consumption of gas has decreased significantly during the current heating season, falling by more than 23 percent year-on-year.

Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Síkela praised consumers’ efforts in saving gas. He said, “Energy savings are a very effective and cheap tool for strengthening energy security.” He also emphasized that saving gas will help the country achieve record levels of gas reserves, strengthening its resilience to potential crises and, therefore, its energy security.

Article by Prague Forum