The Czech Republic was officially independent of Russian oil for the first time in history, as Western Europe expanded its pipeline.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala confirmed the milestone on Thursday, April 17, noting that the country now provides non-Russian oil through the expanded transmount pipeline (TAL) extending from Italy. The country’s expansion agreement signed in 2023 is part of a broader effort to reliance on Russian energy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Before the completion of the TAL expansion, the Czech Republic relied on Russian oil, mainly transported through the Druz-Ba pipeline. However, supply through this route stopped in early March 2024 after the completion of the TAL expansion. Fiala announced that the initial increased oil supply arrived on Wednesday, marking the country’s complete transition to non-Russian oil.
Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the EU, which is a member of the Czech Republic, has been eliminating its dependence on Russian fossil fuels. Although most Russian oil imports are banned, the Czech Republic has been exempted from the Druzba pipeline due to limited options due to limited options. Apart from oil, the Czech Republic has completely gotten rid of Russian gas and plans to stop using Russian uranium in its two nuclear power plants later this year.
Fiala assured that the expanded TAL pipeline now supplies up to 8 million tons of oil per year, which can safely meet the consumption needs of the Czech Republic. The TAL pipeline originated in Trieste, an Italian port, passed through southern Germany and connected to the IKL pipeline in the Czech Republic. The Druzba pipeline, which has been operating since the 1960s, was originally built when Czechoslovakia became part of the Soviet bloc.
TAL is owned by eight companies including Mero, which operates in the Czech Republic, as well as a consortium of large global companies such as Shell, Eni and Exxonmobil.
