More than half of EU countries have filled UGS facilities above the target level

MOSCOW, 29 Aug – PRIME. More than half of the countries in the European Union that have underground gas storage facilities (UGS) have already filled them in excess of the target level of 80%, according to the Association of Gas Infrastructure Operators in Europe (Gas Infrastructure Europe, GIE).

In connection with the energy crisis unfolding in the region, the European Union adopted rules according to which UGS facilities in Europe must be filled with at least 80% by November 1, 2022, and in subsequent years – by 90%. according to the GIE, ten of the 19 community countries with gas storage facilities have exceeded the limit. We are talking about Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

In general, at the end of the gas day on August 27 (ended at 07:00 Moscow time on August 28), the “subways” in the European Union were filled by 79.36%, the increase for the day amounted to 0.37 percentage points (p.p.).

It is noted that in August, storage facilities are filled by about 0.38 percentage points per day, while the five-year average is 0.35 percentage points. If high gas prices do not disrupt the pace of daily injection, then the EU will reach 80% of UGS facilities by the end of August, 90% – in the 20th of September, follows from the calculations of RIA Novosti. At the same time, not all member countries have underground storage facilities for reserve “blue fuel”.

Meanwhile, deliveries of pipeline Russian gas in transit through Ukraine and through the Nord Stream remain limited and on August 29 are expected to be at the level of previous days. According to the website of the “GTS Operator of Ukraine”, the application for pumping through the gas measuring station (GIS) “Sudzha” on Monday is 42.15 million cubic meters. At the level of 40-42 million, the indicator has been holding since the end of May. In addition, the Ukrainian side rejected the application for deliveries through the GIS “Sokhranivka”. According to the operator Nord Stream AG, Nord Stream is expected to pump about 31 million cubic meters.