Russia Sees Record Home Gas Consumption In 2021 - Novak

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th October, 2021) Russia saw domestic gas consumption hit a record high this year on the back of the economic rebound, Alexander Novak, the deputy prime minister and Russia's former energy chief, said Saturday.

"I want to note that Russia too saw a record gas consumption at home," Novak told a Rossiya 1 television show on Saturday.

Low water levels at hydropower plants and a long and cold winter season exhausted Russia's gas reserves, forcing the government to pump more natural gas into the underground storage, he explained.

Asked whether Russia had spare gas for the fuel-strapped European Union, Novak said that Russia had enough reserves to deliver on its contractual obligations and would consider extra bids. It has not received any export requests so far, he added.