VIENNA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th May, 2022) Energy costs for Austrian households grew by 42.4% in March from a year earlier and by 14.5% from February, the Austrian Energy Agency said on Thursday.
"Such an increase in fuel and fuel oil prices, which we observed in March, is something new for us," Managing Director Franz Angerer said.
March prices on heating oil surged more than twice by 118.5% compared to March 2021, and by 51.5% from February of this year.
Fuel prices continued to increase as well, jumping to 55% compared to March 2021. Premium gasoline went up by 45.3% and natural gas in March cost 73.1% more than a year earlier.
On April 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin's decree requiring gas payments in rubles went into effect. It stipulates that all contracts for pipeline gas deliveries with companies from "unfriendly nations" be settled in the Russian national Currency. The majority of countries rejected Russia's demand, with EU officials and European leaders taking steps aimed at diversifying their gas supplies in the hope of eventually abandoning Russian energy.
