UK gas stores have fallen to “concerning low” levels amid freezing cold temperatures, the owner of British Gas has warned. Centrica said the UK now has less than a week’s worth of demand for gas in store.
On Thursday, stocks at UK gas storage sites were 26% lower than the same period last year, leaving them around half full, the energy giant said. Gas inventory levels have come under pressure from the cold weather conditions and the end of Russian gas pipeline supplies through Ukraine at the end of last month.
Chris O’Shea, group chief executive of Centrica, said: “The UK’s gas storage levels are concerningly low.
“We are an outlier from the rest of Europe when it comes to the role of storage in our energy system and we are now seeing the implications of that.
“As we work towards Clean Power 2030, long-duration energy storage will be needed more than ever in order to help balance a system that is increasingly reliant on renewables.
“Energy storage is what keeps the lights on and homes warm when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow, so investing in our storage capacity makes perfect economic sense.”
The Government is confident the UK has enough natural gas supplies to make it through the winter, Downing Street said. A No 10 spokesman said: “We are confident we will have a sufficient gas supply and electricity capacity to meet demand this winter, due to our diverse and resilient energy system.
“We speak regularly with the national energy system operator to monitor our energy security, and ensure they have all tools at their disposal if needed to secure our supply.
“Our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 will replace our dependency on unstable fossil fuel markets with clean, homegrown power controlled in Britain, which is the best way to protect bill payers and boost our energy independence.”
Reports the UK has been on the verge of an energy blackout are “not true”, the spokesman added. The UK has recorded its coldest night of this winter so far with more freezing temperatures expected in the coming days.
Overnight temperatures fell to minus 14.4C in Altanharra, northern Scotland, and fell to minus 14.5C on Friday morning, according to the Met Office. Weather warnings for ice were in place across most of Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as large parts of the east of England, until 10am on Friday.
The Met Office has said Friday will see “the start of a change to our weather” with milder temperatures “attempting to move in from the south west through the morning”. But this is expected to make only “limited progress” and patchy rain, sleet and snow is expected across parts of south-west Britain.
The forecaster added: “Amounts of snow are uncertain – probably small and confined to high ground, but there is a risk of icy surfaces in places. Much of the rest of the UK will have another dry and bright day but remaining very cold, with few freezing fog patches lasting all day.”
Friday night is predicted to bring the lowest temperatures of the cold snap in parts of Scotland and northern England, with temperatures between minus 15C and minus 20C possible. Oli Claydon, a spokesperson for the Met Office, told the PA news agency: “It will be another cold night tonight with temperatures as low as minus 15C again in the Scottish highlands. There’s a chance we could even see the coldest night of winter again.
“We’re expecting to see frost in parts of the south west and Wales. Northern Ireland will be cold again but not as cold as Thursday night. But that will be the last of the really low temperatures, with milder weather coming in during the weekend. This will spread from the north down to the south and it could be Monday or Tuesday before the south west starts to feel the milder temperatures.”
Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick previously said: “Saturday is still going to be another cold one, unfortunately.”
But clouds will come in from the west which should prevent temperatures dropping as quickly, he said. The meteorologist added: “Sunday will still be a chilly one, but not as cold as what we’ve seen for today and for tomorrow.
“By Monday, we are expecting the temperatures to come back up to what we would expect for this time of year, which is around sort of 7C (or) 8C.”
As icy conditions persist, motorists are being urged to stick to major roads that are most likely to have been gritted. Spokesperson for the RAC Alice Simpson said this week had been “one of our busiest for breakdowns in the five years since the Covid-19 pandemic”.
She added: “We’re prioritising members who are away from home or in dangerous locations, and waiting times are inevitably longer. Drivers setting out must ensure they are ready for the conditions. Until the weather warms up on Sunday, there is an ongoing risk of ice and snow which will make the roads treacherous.
“Sticking to major routes that have been gritted is advised. We also urge anyone setting out to have an emergency kit in the boot, that includes warm clothes, waterproofs, food, a flask of hot drink and a mobile phone power bank.”
The AA has predicted that Friday could see a major increase in workload, with some roads, particularly in the north, likely to be affected. The insurance provider advised against all but essential travel in hard-hit areas and urged drivers to check forecasts before venturing out and to take “extreme caution” on hazardous roads.
Snow and winds have also brought rail disruption this week, with some lines forced to close. National Rail said on Friday morning that some Southeastern services to and from London and Charing Cross had been affected by ice.
Manchester Airport closed both its runways on Thursday morning “due to significant levels of snow” but were later reopened. Transport for Wales closed some rail lines in the country due to track damage following a period of “heavy wind, rain and snow”.
Hundreds of schools in Scotland and around 90 in Wales were shut on Thursday. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Sunday.
Amber alerts have been extended and will now run until January 12, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.