gas tanks European Union (EU) Above the 80% reference, already exceeding an average fill level of 90% It was stated that the bloc aims to guarantee a certain volume in autumn and winter due to supply insecurity from Russia.
As of October 5th, deposits averaged 90.12%, according to the European Gas Infrastructure (GIE) industry association, which showed updated data this Friday. compared to 75% a year ago.
Community rules do not require Member States to have gas deposits (where, as with oil, it is mandatory to hold reserves for 90 days’ consumption), and there are a total of 1,002 at 160 sites of the 18 community partners with storage. terawatt hour (TWh) of gas.
Fully replenishing all reserves with 1,100 TWh would guarantee consumption for about three months and would be insufficient to face a total gas shortage. By the Kremlin: According to the Bruegel think tank, the block imported about 1,800 TWh from Russia in 2019, the year before the pandemic.
But some of this gas barely reaches the EU from Russia. being replaced by import liquefied natural gas (LNG) will grow by 60 billion cubic meters (million cubic meters) by the end of the year, over a total of 80 billion cubic meters in 2021, according to the forecasts of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
It is added to Twenty Seven’s commitment to save an average of 15% on gas and 10% on electricity.
According to the European Network of Gas Transmission System Operators (ENTSOG), gas consumption in the EU in the 2020/2021 autumn/winter season was 3,319 TWh and 3,216 TWh a year ago.
This organization warned last July of the importance of replenishing tanks, not only to face the cold season of 2022/2023, but also to guarantee a minimum reserve for 2023/2024.
EU should come with 40% deposit at the end of winter According to calculations by the European Commission, in order not to have problems next year.
Fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin will definitively cut off gas supplies to the EU prompted the 27s to force themselves to fill up to 80% before November 1st of this year and up to 90% by the same date. until 2023.
Community partners are ahead of schedule in terms of storage, despite the economic recovery and the Russian invasion of Ukraine pushing prices to record highs and this hydrocarbon remains expensive in 2023, according to the IEA.
Again, most Price:%s significantly lower than the record 349 euros per megawatt hour (It’s now down to around 169 euros, although they’re still far from the 16 euros per MWh in January 2021, which set the TTF Dutch reference index last August when states rushed to replenish their deposits.
To date, four of the five countries with the largest gas storage capacity have already exceeded 90%: Germany reserves 93.03% (228 TWh), France 97.45% (129 TWh), Italy 91.94% (177 TWh) and Netherlands at 92.66% (128 TWh).
Fifth of the community partners by gas storage capacity, Austriadeposits are at the level of 82.26% (78 TWh).
While liquefied natural gas (LNG) reserves are taken into account in the calculation of the storage level in the negotiations, Spain has 90.92% (32 TWh) of its reserves, while Hungary does not even reach 80% (74%). , Bulgaria (77%) and Latvia (53%).
Nnine community partners do not have gas storage facilities (Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta and Slovenia), those who are legally obliged to ensure that a neighboring country stores at least 15% of its annual consumption.
Besides supply, high prices of energy products are one of the main concerns in the EU. Fifteen partners, including France, Italy, Spain, Poland or Belgium, are asking for a maximum purchase price to be applied to all gas imports from Germany, the Netherlands or all gas imports, an initiative that does not satisfy the Commission.
One of the issues that the EU Heads of State and Government will discuss at the informal summit to be held in Prague today will be the energy price crisis.