Yesterday, Alexander Van der Bellen was very interested and explained Haidach 5, Salzburg’s gas storage facility. Then he said goodbye by appeal.
Haidach 5, one of the most important natural gas deposits in Salzburg, is located between farms and the B147 towards Friedburg in Upper Austria. Alexander Van der Bellen ended up there yesterday afternoon. Not because the energy problems of Europe and Austria could be solved in the rural idyll 40 minutes away from the provincial capital. But because the Federal President was able to gain quick and condensed insights into the geopolitically sensitive, in-demand gas. First, the native Tyrolean listened intently to the natural gas warehouse manager responsible, Anton Radauer. He showed Van der Bellen a gas drying plant, a storage compressor and a combined heat and power plant. And explained that in Haidach 5 natural gas is also extracted and produced from the surrounding fields. It is only a fraction of what Salzburg needs. “That’s not much, but still,” said Van der Bellen. Governor Wilfried Haslauer also listened carefully. “We could even have too much gas.” The Federal President then obtained the expert opinions of Salzburg AG boss Leonhard Schitter and Markus Mitteregger. Mitteregger, managing director of the largest domestic energy storage company RAG, explained to Van der Bellen that you could even have too much gas in winter. Which would also be problematic. Prepare yourself for less gas from the Russian supplier Gazprom and look for alternatives. But if the Russians suddenly deliver the full amount, there would actually be too much available. “I am fascinated by everything that works together here: the gas has to be found, extracted, delivered through pipelines and stored. It has to end up with the customers, regardless of whether they are at the bakery or in private households. But we also have international obligations, which makes things so complex,” said Van der Bellen. “The supply is not secured.” After 60 minutes at Haidach-5, Van der Bellen’s energy lesson ended. The Federal President returned to Salzburg. Before that, however, he had ventured a glimpse of the uncertain, near future: “Let’s say it carefully, the gas supply is not secured. I hope that we can get through this winter and get serious about expanding renewable energies next year.”
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