Italy’s push to rapidly reduce its dependence on Russian natural gas has made the country less vulnerable to an interruption of supplies, Premier Mario Draghi said Wednesday, noting that the country has stockpiled 80% of its capacity of gas reserves ahead of winter and is on track to hit 90% by October.
Draghi told an annual summertime festival in the Adriatic seaside town of Rimini that Italy has reduced its reliance on Russian natural gas from 40% last year to half that by finding new sources in countries from Algeria to Azerbaijan. The fuel is used to heat and cool homes, generate electricity and run factories.
