The Ministry of Climate Protection under Leonore Gewessler (Greens) will soon release another 60,000 tons of diesel from the national oil reserve. A corresponding proposal was made to the main committee in the National Council after consultation with OMV and the entire domestic oil industry, said ministry spokesman Samson Sandrieser-Leon on Monday afternoon.
This is intended to secure the supply in Austria until the OMV refinery in Schwechat is up and running again. According to OMV, this should be the case in October. According to the ministry, Austria still has state fuel reserves for 65 days after the release.
Reserves have already been released twice this summer – on June 4th, directly after the accident at OMV, which paralyzed the refinery for the time being, it was 112,000 tons of diesel and 56,000 tons of gasoline; on July 12, 100,000 tons of diesel and 45,000 tons of semi-finished products were added.
Due to the delay in the recommissioning of Schwechat, the ministry, in consultation with the oil industry, “recommends further approval”.
“We want to ensure that despite the delay in the return to operation of Schwechat, there is enough fuel for Austria,” said Gewessler. “We are doing this in a well-considered and careful manner, because the oil reserve is there for emergencies. We must not squander it carelessly.”
Before reserves can be released, the Energy Steering Advisory Board must be heard and the relevant ordinance approved by the Main Committee of the National Council. Further fuel reserves will only be released if the latter agrees with a two-thirds majority. According to the ministry, replenishment of the reserves will begin immediately after the refinery has been put back into operation. OMV has already announced that it will continue to procure increased quantities on the European market.
Source: Nachrichten
