Prague - The Czech Republic's natural gas deliveries dropped for the second day Monday as a gas row between Russia and Ukraine continued, a gas importer said. Martin Chalupsky, a spokesman for the country's leading gas importer, RWE Transgas, said the firm on Monday received 9.5 per cent less gas than ordered for the day.
He said that the drop amounted to 1.7 million cubic metres of gas, or 2 per cent of country's daily consumption. He said the reduction would have no impact on Czech consumers.
"As the drop it so small we are able to cover these shortfalls by raising supplies from underground storage tanks," Chalupsky told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
He said the firm had enough gas for two months if daily delivery drops of 5 to 20 per cent would continue amid current freezing conditions.
"We are convinced that we will cover the whole winter season with storage supplies," he added.
The company, which commands a 71-per-cent share on the Czech market, recorded the first delivery drop of 5 per cent on Sunday, four days after Russia's gas export monopolist Gazprom turned off gas supplies to Ukraine.
The European Union's eastern members have issued conflicting reports on gas delivery rates since Friday.
The EU dispatched a Czech-led fact-finding mission to Kiev on Monday to clarify the situation surrounding Russia's delivery cut to Ukraine.
The EU, which is chaired by the Czech Republic until June 30, has so far rejected calls to broker what it calls a "commercial dispute" between the two neighbours.
The bloc strongly urged both countries to reach a deal and renew full gas supplies to the 27-member bloc.
