Vienna’s main energy supplier, Wien Energie, has announced it will stop purchasing Russian gas from next year, becoming the first Austrian energy provider to do so.
In a press release, Wien Energie stated that its supply will instead come from non-Russian sources, primarily the North Sea, and will apply to both private and commercial customers, as well as the operation of power plants and district heating systems.
The company stressed that there would be no additional costs for customers, as it will cover the additional expenses itself. “We are investing a mid-single-digit million amount for this measure,” said Michael Strebl, Managing Director of Wien Energie.
Peter Hanke, Vienna’s City Councillor for Economic Affairs, noted that 30% of the city’s district heating was already supplied by gas purchased from Norway last year.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, European nations have been trying to reduce their reliance on Russian energy sources.
Although Wien Energie has never had direct supply contracts with Russia, the company traditionally buys gas on the Austrian market, where the origin is not always specified. As a result, it is possible that some of its supply in the past has included Russian gas.
Going forward, new supplies will be purchased from traders who can guarantee their gas is not of Russian origin, with the source verified by a ‘Declaration of Honour’ in line with EU regulations.