The Czech Republic plans to stop using Russian oil by the first half of 2025, Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced. This change will be made possible by the expansion of the Transalpine Pipeline (TAL) capacity by the state-owned pipeline company MERO. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago, the Czech government has worked intensively to reduce its dependence on Russian oil.
Agreements to reduce Russian oil in the Czech Republic
Last year, MERO and pipeline operator TAL, in which MERO owns a 5% stake, signed an agreement to increase TAL’s capacity by up to 4 million tons. This increase will enable the replacement of the Druzhba pipeline supply, which has been critical for six decades.
At a press conference, Fiala reported that TAL technology upgrades have already begun and will be completed this year, followed by a trial period. “We expect it to be fully operational by the first half of 2025 at the latest.“, said the prime minister during a press conference held at an oil storage facility near Prague.
Oil dependence of the Czech Republic
Last year, the Czech Republic, with a population of 10.9 million, consumed 7.4 million tons of crude oil. More than half of this supply came from the Druzhba pipeline, while the rest came through the TAL. Although the European Union banned imports of Russian Russian oil in December 2022, it made an exception for the Druzhba pipeline, allowing countries dependent on it a transition period.
The TAL pipeline, which connects Italy to Germany, in turn links to the IKL pipeline that runs from Germany to the Czech Republic. After the expansion, TAL will almost double the capacity reserved for the country, reaching 8 million tons of crude oil per year, enough to satisfy the needs of the country’s two refineries, both owned by the Polish company Orlen .
With the upgrading of the TAL pipeline, the country will achieve energy independence from Russia and strengthen its energy security, diversifying its supply sources and mitigating risks associated with geopolitical tensions.
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Source: pgjonline
Photo: Shutterstock
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