D. Jorgensen: We are doing everything to ensure that Slovakia’s gas supplies are not threatened for REPowerEU

Aarhus – The European Commission (EC) is doing everything it can to dispel the concerns of member states related to the REPowerEU plan, including Slovakia. This was stated on Friday by European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jorgensen in Aarhus, as reported by TASR.

 The Commissioner met with a delegation of European journalists in Skejby, a suburb of Aarhus, where the largest geothermal power plant in the EU is located. He contributed to its establishment while serving as Denmark’s Minister for Climate Issues. The first exploratory work began in 2023, and by the autumn of this year, the power plant with a capacity of 110 MW is expected to provide 20% of Aarhus’s thermal energy. Geothermal water is extracted from a depth of 2.5 kilometers at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius.

Jorgensen confirmed the words of the power plant representatives that cheap and renewable energy, as the cooled water is pumped back into the reservoir, lies right beneath the feet of Europeans. He added that on one hand, its utilization is straightforward in terms of availability, but on the other hand, it is complex regarding investments in infrastructure.

However, EU countries can apply for support through EU funds, and this type of energy can meet the needs of up to 20% of Europeans. He also specified that in the long term, it is the most stable type of energy, which increases Europe’s energy independence, and therefore investments in it are more than recommended. This is also from a political perspective, as he stated that the use of geothermal energy does not depend on either the president in the White House or the one in the Kremlin.

The most opportunities for utilizing geothermal energy in the EU, in terms of geological deposits and the ability to heat cities, are available, besides Denmark, to France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Germany, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. The EU has already warned Slovaks that they are underutilizing the potential of geothermal energy.

The European Commissioner reminded that the EU imports fossil fuels worth 400 billion euros every year (of which Russia earns 1.8 billion euros per month just from gas). Geothermal energy will significantly reduce these costs.

In response to a question from TASR about how he perceives the reaction of the Slovak government to the REPowerEU legislation, which aims to ban the import of Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027, Jorgensen stated that he has already met with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) twice this year. He added that the European Commission takes the concerns of all member states regarding this plan very seriously.

 “I understand why Slovakia has concerns. We are doing everything we can to help.”

“I understand why Slovakia has concerns. We are doing everything we can to help. I believe we will find a solution that will certainly address the issue of energy supply security,” the Commissioner explained. He reminded that on Thursday (July 3), experts from the EC met with the Slovak government in this regard and expressed hope that Slovakia will ultimately support the REPowerEU plan.

Jorgensen also admitted that he is aware that some member states are interested in possible compensations for losses caused by cutting off from Russian energy sources, but as he added, the European Commission does not plan to provide any subsidies. However, it will ensure that Slovakia and other neighboring countries have enough gas and oil. (July 4)