In September, European Union countries reduced their injections into underground gas storages (UGS) by 13.5% month over month, according to preliminary figures. The daily injection rate averaged 0.32 percentage points per day, down from 0.37 pp in August. Data come from the European Association of Gas Infrastructure Operators (EGIO).
Some member states have shifted from relying on storage facilities to direct gas selection, the association notes. Current EU storage stocks total about 90 billion cubic meters, with overall occupancy at 83.27%, up 0.28 percentage points per day. The EU goal of reaching 80% storage occupancy was achieved at the end of the previous month.
The agency reports that on certain days since the start of September, gas withdrawal from underground storage exceeded injection in several countries, including Poland, Belgium, and Denmark.
Earlier, Karin Kneissl, former Austrian minister of foreign affairs, described an ongoing crisis in Europe’s electricity sector. She suggested that the electricity market turmoil began last year and argued that European politicians themselves helped provoke the situation. When discussing the severity of Europe’s energy challenges, she cautioned that concerns should not be limited to the coming winter.