Britain is at risk of running out of gas this winter, report warns

Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Britain could run out of gas by the end of winter if a cold snap hits the country in the next few months. A new report from Europe’s gas transmission operators warned UK storage facilities could be completely depleted, raising fears of an energy crisis this winter . The report , from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG), warns reserves in the UK could go down to zero. That’s because the UK relies on EU backup gas storage facilities when stocks run out, but these stocks are also running low with capacity set to fall to 11 per cent, far below the 30 per cent minimum seen as safe. This could force Britain to use US liquefied natural gas (LNG) to stay afloat, which would drive up the cost of bills for UK households. open image in gallery The UK Government is being urged to back the controversial Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gas projects in what could be a ‘powerful reset for the sector’ (Andrew Milligan/PA) “Maintaining strong LNG deliveries throughout the winter remains important to support the European gas balance and preserve storage levels,” the report said. “If LNG availability remains limited, storage levels could fall well below 30 per cent by the end of the winter, increasing impact in the event of potential cold spells later in the season.” EU gas reserves are currently just 72 percent filled going into the winter, far below the 88 percent level seen as the minimum needed. The report explains the storage levels at the end of winter have an impact on the following year due to injection limitations. The UK is significantly worse off than other EU countries including Spain, Portugal and Poland. Underground gas storage levels as of October 1 sat at just 48 percent in the UK, in comparison Poland sat at 99 percent, Portugal at 94 percent, Spain at 75 percent and France at 84 percent full. Analysis shows if supply is tight by April 2027 the UK could be left with nothing, along with Germany and France, while Poland could have 37 percent left and Portugal 68 percent. open image in gallery The UK could face a household bills crisis if gas supplies run low ( PA ) It comes as Andy Burnham faces pressure to approve the Jackdaw North Sea gas field, which could boost UK supplies. Last month the prime minister noted that he would adopt a "pragmatic" approach towards North Sea oil and gas ahead of pending rulings on Jackdaw and Rosebank "as we build a bridge to a clean energy future as we confront the climate crisis ". Energy bills are forecast to increase by £276 to £1,999 a year in January, according to forecaster Cornwall Insight. Households are already under pressure as bills rose by 4 per cent this month. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to have a significant impact on global LNG markets due to disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - a key transit route accounting for around 20 percent of global LNG trade. Shipping through the Strait remains significantly constrained, limiting LNG exports from Qatar and the UAE and tightening global LNG availability. The prolonged disruption has intensified competition for available cargoes between Europe and Asia and contributed to higher and more volatile global gas prices. As a result, imports mostly come from the US, leaving the UK and EU vulnerable to political interference from Donald Trump’s administration.