Síkela: Czech gas storage filling despite Nord Stream 1 closure

Gas storage capacities in Czechia are continuing to be filled despite Russia halting its gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and have so far reached 85% capacity, Industry Minister Jozef Síkela said on Thursday. Reuters news agency reports that Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands are helping to fill Czech gas storage facilities, with about 3 billion cubic metres of gas capacity - about a third of Czechia's annual consumption - secured through an LNG terminal in the Netherlands.

The European energy crisis worsened this week with the shutdown of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and Russian president Vladimir Putin threatening to cut off all gas supplies to Europe if a price cap on Russian oil and gas were to be imposed, a suggestion due to be discussed at Friday’s meeting of EU energy ministers in Brussels.