The signing of new long-term contracts with foreign gas suppliers, such as Azerbaijan, Norway, or Algeria, would lower world prices for blue fuel, according to Wolfgang Urbantschitsch, the head of Austria's independent energy regulator.

"How long will Austria be able to withstand Russia's line-cutting overnight? The degree of filling generally corresponds to the season," according to Urbantschitsch. According to the E-Control director, the present priority should be to fill the gas storage tanks so that there is adequate fuel for next winter. "One million residences in Austria are heated by gas, which is also used to generate power. The key purpose is to maintain power sources (power plants) operational; otherwise, power outages may occur," he stated.

He also chastised Austria for failing to lessen its reliance on fossil resources, particularly Russian gas. "Now, both at the European and national levels, this should be a goal," he continued.

Energy prices, he claims, have risen substantially since the military activities in Ukraine began, and there are worries that the phase-out of Russian gas would result in even higher prices. "Other gas suppliers, such as Algeria, Azerbaijan, and Norway, can now negotiate new long-term contracts. I am certain that the price situation will subsequently return to normal," Urbantschitsch stated.

He also thinks the Austrian National Council (lower house of parliament) made the right decision in creating strategic gas reserves. "This is a one-month consumption reserve that may be used in the case of a catastrophe," he explained. "Germany has set a target of being entirely self-sufficient from Russian gas within the next two years. Is this something that may work in Austria as well? This, in my opinion, is unreasonable. Renewable energy sources currently account for 80% of power generation, with the goal of reaching 100% by 2030," the E-Control director shared.