Italy cut gas imports from Russia to 2.4% of its total imports in the first ten months of this year while those from Algeria increased to account for 20.2%, an energy report showed on Wednesday, as Rome shifts its supply from east to south.

Gas supplies from Russia through the Trans Austria Gas (TAG) pipeline in 2020 accounted for 28.4% of the total, according to the fifth MED & Italian energy report sponsored by Intesa Sanpaolo bank, while 12% came through the Transmed pipeline from Algeria.

When supplies of Russian gas fell sharply following the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022, Eni ENI.MI, Italy’s largest natural gas importer, quickly increased volumes from Africa.

The shift, made possible by the group’s decades-long presence on the continent, has seen Algeria replace Russia as Italy’s largest gas supplier.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Francesca Landini and Cristina Carlevaro, editing by Kirsten Donovan)