Sakova: Slovakia Has Secured Contracts and Sufficient Gas Supplies for Winter

        Bratislava, 9 October (TASR) - Slovakia is ready for the heating season; its gas supplies have been secured via one long-term contract and several short-term ones, Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) told a press conference on Friday, adding that the country has enough gas in storage to cover 35 percent of consumption.
        The gas was stored there by gas utility SPP as part of the general economic interest, said Sakova.
        "We have a long-term contract with Gazprom, which we can utilise until September 2027. We have short-term contracts that we can use in the event of fluctuations in gas supplies, and our gas storage facilities are filled to the required level of 17.5 terawatt-hours (TWh)," said the minister, noting that the storage facilities will serve to cover gas consumption on days when demand is high and will act as a safety net in the event of an unexpected interruption to gas supplies.
        According to SPP chief executive Martin Huska, the costs of fulfilling the general economic interest won't be known until the end of the heating season.