Tripartite meeting, March 6, 2023, Prague. From left, Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela and Chairman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) Josef Středula.
Prague – According to Minister Jozef Síkela (for STAN), the Ministry of Industry and Trade has recorded several dozen complaints about clogging of gas boilers and, in several cases, damage to boilers attributed to changes in gas imports. He takes the matter seriously. At a press conference after the meeting of representatives of the government, employers and trade unions, Síkela said that no anomalies in its composition were detected during checks on the entry of gas into the Czech Republic. The matter is now being resolved with the Czech Gas Association, the company Net4gas, which ensures the transportation of natural gas through the Czech Republic, and also the Energy Regulatory Office.
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No Russian gas is imported into the Czech Republic anymore. Hospodářské noviny reported last week that the gas heading to the Czech Republic from the West contains more hydrogen sulfide. For some boilers, this can allegedly lead to damage, the repair will cost thousands of crowns. The gas that households and companies now buy comes from Norway and LNG terminals. According to experts, due to a slightly different composition compared to the Russian one, gas equipment can pollute under certain conditions, but with regular maintenance, the problem should not arise, Czech TV reported today.
Last year's gas consumption in the Czech Republic was the lowest in the last eight years. In total, the Czechs consumed 7.544 billion cubic meters of it, which was a fifth less year-on-year. Converted to the long-term temperature norm, it was the lowest since at least 2001. Last year, according to the authority, electricity consumption also fell, by 3.9 percent year-on-year.
The largest share of last year's consumption was traditionally at 47.2 percent large customers, followed by households with 25.4 percent and small customers with 14.3 percent.
The annual balance of the gas system last year was significantly affected by last year's geopolitical situation caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine. Compared to 2021, gas imports decreased by 40.7 percent to 27.08 billion cubic meters.
