Supply at stake

Where the battle for scarce natural gas will soon begin

Large quantities of Russian gas are still flowing to Austria, but this is set to change in the coming years.(Bild: APA/JOE KLAMAR)

From 2025, it is likely that gas will no longer flow to Austria via Ukraine. The end of the transit contract will put supplies to the test. The "Krone" asked experts how things could continue in the future.

"A shortage of supply always leads to a price increase," says Bernhard Painz. He is a board member of AGGM, which manages the gas infrastructure in Austria. The price of gas is still around twice as high as before the Russian invasion and could rise further. Austria currently still imports more than 90 percent of its natural gas from Russia. "In my view, the impending shortage has not yet been fully priced in," says Painz. The gas price on the spot market is currently around 36 euros per megawatt hour and could rise to over 40 euros in winter. However, significantly higher prices are to be expected in the event of a tight supply situation. This is because alternative sources of supply are in high demand and could be expensive.