National Grid races to raise EU gas supplies

NATIONAL Grid has asked for emergency permission to pump more gas to Europe as it races to fill up storage facilities ahead of a winter crunch.

Operators are ramping up the capacity of pipelines between Britain and the Netherlands to help bolster stocks. National Grid has applied to the Joint Office of Gas Transporters for permission to increase the pressure on the 146 mile pipeline between Bacton, Norfolk, and Balgzand, Netherlands, so it can export 34pc more than normal.

It follows a request from BBL, the Netherlands-based operator of the pipeline, to maximise gas exports to “address existing gas supply shortages, which are being experienced in continental Europe”, National Grid said.

“Enhanced resilience of supplies across Europe heading into the forthcoming winter can benefit the GB market by reducing likely demand for exports to Europe over the expected period of high demand from October 2022 as we move into the winter,” the Grid added.

Europe is racing to fill up gas storage sites ahead of winter amid concerns about further cuts in supplies from Russia. Moscow typically supplied about 40pc of Europe’s gas before the war but volumes have fallen since the invasion of Ukraine as the Kremlin retaliates against sanctions by “weaponising” fuel supplies. That has put pressure on Europe, with the European Commission calling on member states to cut gas use by 15pc to stave off energy rationing.

Britain receives less than 4pc of its gas directly from Russia but is exposed to knock-on effects from Europe’s markets. It typically exports to Europe during summer and imports during winter.

Concerns over gas supplies have sent prices soaring and Germany was forced into a €16bn (£13.6bn) bail out of energy giant Uniper yesterday.