Russia to resume gas deliveries to Italy: Gazprom

MOSCOW

Russia will resume gas deliveries to Italy after suspending them due to a transport problem in Austria, Russian energy giant Gazprom said in a statement yesterday.   

“Transportation of Russian gas through the territory of Austria is resuming,” Gazprom said, adding that a “solution” was found with Italian buyers following regulatory changes in Austria.

Most Russian gas delivered to Italy passes via Ukraine through the Trans Austria Gas Pipeline (TAG), to Tarvisio in northern Italy on the border with Austria.

On Oct. 1, Gazprom suspended gas deliveries to Italy, blaming a transport problem in Austria.     

The transportation of Russian gas through Austria had been suspended “due to the refusal of the Austrian operator to confirm the transport nominations”, according to a statement by Gazprom.       

“The reason is related to the regulatory changes that took place in Austria at the end of September,” it added.

In Austria, regulatory authority E-Control said the new rules, which entered into force on Oct.1, had been “known to all market actors for months”.It said it expected “all to conform and take the necessary measures to fulfil their obligations”.

The problems were linked to “contractual details” linked to the transit of gas towards Italy, E-Control said on Twitter.    

Before the conflict in Ukraine, Italy imported 95 percent of the gas it consumes -- about 45 percent of which came from Russia.