National Gas has assured the public that Britain’s gas supplies remain “healthy” despite recent concerns over “concerningly low” storage levels. The network operator stated that the UK is “well-placed” to meet this winter’s demands and highlighted that gas stocks at the country’s storage sites are more than half full.
This comes in contrast to Centrica’s warning that UK gas supplies had dwindled to less than a week’s worth of demand in store, with stocks 26 per cent lower than last year at this time. A spokesperson for National Gas commented: “The overall picture across Great Britain’s eight main gas storage sites remains healthy.”
They also noted that Britain sources its gas from various places, not just from storage, ensuring readiness for winter demand.
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The strain on gas inventory levels has been attributed to the cold snap and the cessation of Russian gas pipeline supplies through Ukraine at the end of last month. According to National Grid data, natural gas powered 53 per cent of the UK on Friday, while renewables contributed only 16 per cent.
The UK’s gas storage capacity is one of the lowest among major European nations, enough for 12 average days or 7.5 peak winter days, compared to Germany’s 89 days, France’s 103 days, and the Netherlands’ 123 days. Chris O’Shea, the boss of Centrica, reiterated the concern over the “concerningly low” levels of gas storage, as reported by City AM.
He noted that the UK’s clean energy transition necessitates a higher use of energy storage systems to meet demand: “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.”
“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.”
“We need to think of storage as a very valuable insurance policy.”
Centrica, which runs Rough, the nation’s most substantial gas storage site located beneath the North Sea off the east coast of England, has disclosed that despite being fully stocked for winter, current gas inventories at Rough are around 20% less than last year at the same time. With an eye on boosting the facility’s capability, Centrica seeks further governmental support for a sizeable multibillion-pound investment.
This news arrives as Britain endures its chilliest winter evening to date this Thursday, with expectations of additional freezing conditions approaching. The Met Office has forecasted Friday to bring “the start of a change to our weather,” though with “limited progress” expected, as sporadic rain, sleet, and snow may affect southwestern regions of the UK.
A spokesperson from No 10 reassured: “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.”
The spokesperson dismissed reports that the UK has been on the brink of an energy blackout as “not true”. Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank, argued that the Government should focus on reducing gas demand amid fluctuating international prices.
She stated: “Unless the UK starts to reduce its demand for gas then we’ll just become more dependent on imports from abroad, with prices set by the international markets.”
“When gas prices rise in Europe and across the world, they rise in the UK too; more drilling in the North Sea is a red herring solution.”
“Energy independence and stabilised bills will come from insulating houses, moving away from gas boilers to electric heat pumps and building out more renewables so that we aren’t as reliant on gas for power.”