MILAN: Italy is importing more gas from Algeria to offset lower Russian supplies, the CEO of energy giant Eni said on Sunday, adding he saw no shortage problems in the country for the next few days.
Italy depends on imports for 90 percent of its gas needs and gets around 30 percent of its imports from Russia, where exporter Gazprom cut supplies to Europe because of a cold snap at home.
"We reacted with more gas from Algeria, and this allows us to say that there won’t be problems for the next few days. We’ll make another assessment Thursday or Friday," Eni chief executive officer Paolo Scaroni told state radio GR1.
"We will be able to handle shortages of Russian gas even in the future," he said.
Gazprom said on Saturday it had brought supplies to European countries back to normal after lowering them "for a few days," but was unable to meet increased demand.
Gas flows from Russia to Italy, which is also facing freezing temperatures, have been below requested volumes since last Tuesday. The shortfall reached nearly 30 percent both on Friday and Saturday, according to gas transmission operator Snam.
The industry ministry said imports had also been increased from northern Europe, and gas stocks were being tapped. The ministry convened a meeting on Monday of the national committee for gas emergencies and monitoring.
Italy had to tap strategic reserves of gas in the winter of 2006 due to a spat between Russia and Ukraine that halted gas supplies to Europe.
