The delivery of Russian gas was reduced on Tuesday afternoon by 10 percent, followed by a 6.5 percent drop on Wednesday, and an 11.36 percent drop on Thursday. This means that the import of gas from Russia has dropped from the usual 131,000 cubic metres per hour to some 116,000 cubic metres.
The extremely low temperatures in Russia, which this morning dropped to - 31 degrees Celsius in Moscow, have forced the Russian company Gazprom to reduce gas supplies to Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina by 20-25 percent in order to provide more gas to Russian consumers.
Gazprom has announced a possible reduction of gas supplies to Italy and Austria due to the low temperatures.
Gas consumption in Croatia is stable and it is in balance with gas imports, domestic gas production and gas supplies at the underground gas storage area of Okoli, Vujec said, adding that temperatures in Croatia were relatively high for this time of the year.
Gas consumption in Croatia has varied in recent days from 460,000 to 500,000 cubic metres per hour.
INA-Naftaplin again appealed to consumers to use natural gas in a rational manner.
Additional problems with gas supply in the country could be caused by the imminent start of operation of Petrokemija, the Kutina-based producer of artificial fertilisers which recently underwent repair works.
Petrokemija is expected to start working on January 23.
The company's representatives last week said that any further postponement in the start of operation could jeopardise the production of fertilisers and the spring sowing.