Starting February 1, the Slovak gas company SPP began importing Russian gas to Slovakia through the “Turkish Stream” pipeline, with deliveries via this route expected to double by April.
This was announced to journalists on Thursday by SPP’s Chairman of the Board, Vojtech Ferenc.
Ferenc did not specify the exact volume of these supplies. He noted that SPP still has a contract with the Russian company Gazprom and that the transit fee is significantly lower than that of other suppliers.
SPP’s head of trading, Michal Lalik, added that even with this agreement, Slovakia will likely still need to import gas via other routes, as the pipeline capacity through Hungary is insufficient to meet consumption levels.
It is highly likely that the alternative route will be through Germany via the Czech Republic, for which SPP has reserved capacity. In January, SPP met its customers’ needs primarily by drawing gas from its own storage facilities, which still hold higher-than-average reserves.
Ferenc emphasized that SPP’s priority is ensuring adequate gas supplies for its customers.
The issue lies in the rise in gas prices and high transit fees for deliveries through alternative routes. Gas prices are currently higher than the average long-term rates, standing at €53 per megawatt-hour (MWh). In December, before the cessation of gas transit through Ukraine, prices fluctuated around €40/MWh.
Traders also fear a gas shortage during the summer, when EU countries must fill their storage to meet the European Commission’s directive for sufficient gas reserves before the start of the next heating season.
Bilateral relations between Kyiv and Bratislava have soured after Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas through its territory, including to Slovakia.
