Gas consumption in Czechia falls 18 percent year-on-year

Gas consumption in the Czech Republic has fallen by 18 percent year-on-year so far in 2022, industry and trade minister Jozef Síkela told the Czech News Agency on Monday. Consumption is now at its lowest since 2016. Therefore, Mr. Síkela said, even without Russian gas, it will be possible to cover daily consumption and to continue to fill storage tanks, which are already more than 89 percent full. He emphasised that energy savings have a significant impact on handling the crisis, as despite the second half of September being the coldest since 2018, gas consumption in Czechia fell by 28 percent year-on-year that month after adjusting for the weather.

The ministry of industry and trade, which Mr. Síkela heads, has also introduced energy savings, the Czech News Agency reports. For example, the room temperature in the ministry's buildings is kept between 19 and 21 degrees, and toilets, storage rooms, and corridors are not being heated at all. According to Mr. Síkela's deputy, Petr Třešňák, the ministry has managed to save a fifth on its gas consumption using these measures.