The Czech state oil pipeline operator “Mero” has signed an agreement to increase the capacity of the Transalpine oil pipeline in order to end the Czech Republic’s dependence on Russian oil by 2025.
The Transalpine pipeline connects the port of Trieste in Italy with the southern German city of Ingolstadt, and from there there is a connection to the Czech Republic.
Increasing the capacity of the pipeline, during which the pumps will be replaced, will cost up to 67 million euros. It will be financed by “Mero”.
After increasing the capacity, the Czech Republic will be able to receive up to eight million tons of oil per year through the Transalpine pipeline from 2025.
“This agreement is our future, after sixty long years it will separate us from Russia and help us achieve independence, freedom and sovereignty in energy supplies,” Mero head Jaroslav Pantucek told reporters on Tuesday.
The Czech Republic has two refineries that received 7.4 million tons of oil last year, 56% of which came via the Druzhba pipeline from Russia.
Last May, in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Union banned most oil imports from Russia, but these sanctions do not apply to the Druzhba pipeline.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday that the exception gave the Czech Republic time to reach an agreement on increasing the capacity of the Transalpine pipeline.
The Transalpine pipeline is owned by a consortium of eight companies, including Mero, Shell, ENI and ExxonMobil.
2023-05-24 09:05:37
#Czech #Republics #dependence #Russian #oil
