Underground gas storages within the European Union are filling at a rapid pace, with capacity reaching around 80 percent two months ahead of schedule. This achievement is part of the EU’s strategy to strengthen energy security across member states and to cushion potential interruptions in Russian gas supplies before winter. During an energy security summit focused on the Baltic region and hosted by Denmark, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the milestone, noting that the bloc has already reached the agreed target for the year and that storage levels are expected to rise further as the season progresses. (Source attribution: European Commission statements, energy security discussions)
Latest data from the AGSI GIE inventory update show that as of 29 August, underground storages stood at 79.94 percent. Ten member states exceeded the 80 percent threshold: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. All ten were on track to refill their deposits at least two months ahead of the 1 November deadline established under the EU agreement. By contrast, several countries hovered around the 65 percent mark, including Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Latvia. Spain reported 29.6 TWh stored in its facilities according to the same update, illustrating the varied paces of storage across the union. (Source attribution: AGSI GIE inventory data, 29 August update)
Brussels to have emergency response in electricity market ready in “weeks”
In late June, the EU finalized a regulation designed to reinforce the bloc’s arsenal of energy safeguards. The aim is to prevent a supply crisis should Moscow reduce or cut off gas deliveries, a move it has already employed this year. The regulation envisions expanding reserve capacity so that by 2023 the target would be 90 percent available at the start of winter. It also addresses disparities in storage infrastructure by allowing some member states without domestic storage to fulfill a portion of their annual consumption through storage in other EU countries. This cross-border flexibility helps guarantee supply continuity even if a supplier reduces deliveries. (Source attribution: EU energy security regulation, 2023 release)