VIENNA (AP) 鈥� Russia鈥檚 state-owned natural gas company Gazrom will cut off supplies to Austria鈥檚 OMV utility early Saturday, Austria鈥檚 chancellor said Friday, adding that his country鈥檚 underground gas storage was full and that it had alternative, non-Russia supplies.
The cutoff follows OMV鈥檚 announcement that it would stop paying for Gazprom gas to its Austrian arm to offset a 230 million euro arbitration award it won over an earlier cutoff of gas to its German subsidiary.
Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Austria has a secure supply of alternative fuel and that 鈥渘o one will freeze.鈥�
鈥淭he supply is secure,鈥� Nehammer said in a hastily called appearance at the chancellery. 鈥淥ur gas storage facilities are full and we have sufficient capacity to obtain gas from other regions.
Representatives of OMV and Gazprom could not be immediately reached for comment.
The Associated Press
