The European Parliament will discuss the preparation of the EU for winter after the holidays

BRUSSELS, 26 Aug – PRIME. The profile committee of the European Parliament at the first meeting after the summer holidays will discuss the preparation of the European Union for the winter heating season, energy savings and gas reservations, the EP said.

“Preparing for winter. Replenishment of gas reserves in the EU, proposed energy saving measures in anticipation of winter and the situation in the gas and electricity markets will be discussed with the European Commission in the committee on industry, research and energy,” it says.

The discussion is scheduled for next Thursday, the release notes.

As reported yesterday, according to the data of the Nord Pool exchange, the average wholesale price of electricity as of August 26 in a number of EU countries crossed the mark of 700 euros per megawatt-hour, or came close to it. Above this level, it was in Austria, Belgium and France. The price in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark exceeded 690 euros per MWh. As of August 25, the average wholesale cost of electricity in these countries did not exceed about 630 euros per megawatt hour.

Gas futures prices in Europe on Friday morning were at $3,000 per 1,000 cubic meters, according to data from the London ICE exchange.

The European Union has taken a number of measures in the gas sector in recent months. Thus, in early August, the EU states agreed on new rules, according to which they must make every effort to reduce their demand for “blue fuel” from August 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 by at least 15% compared to the average demand for this the same period during the previous five years. This goal is now voluntary, the countries themselves can determine how to achieve it. However, the rules provide for the possibility of making it mandatory for the countries of the union with some exceptions.

In June, new legislation was adopted, according to which storage facilities in the EU must be filled with “blue fuel” by at least 80% by November 1, 2022, and in subsequent years – by 90%. In total, 18 out of 27 states in the EU have underground gas reservoirs.

Underground storage facilities are now over 80% full of gas in ten countries, five of them over 90%, according to the latest figures from the Gas Infrastructure Operators Association of Europe (GIE). In general, the capacities of UGS facilities in the EU countries are used by slightly more than 78%.