EU gas storage facilities are 90 percent full

European Union countries have nearly filled their gas storage facilities as they prepare for winter and the possible halt of Russian gas supplies through Ukraine. Storage facilities are now 90 percent full. For the second year in a row, the 90 percent target was reached as early as August, well ahead of the November deadline. The European Commission said today.

Germany, which has the largest storage facilities in the EU, has filled them to 93 percent of capacity. Most EU members with storage facilities have filled them to more than 90 percent. The Czech Republic is among them, with storage facilities 90.43 percent full, data from Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) showed.

Before the war in Ukraine began in 2022, Russia accounted for 40 percent of gas supplies to Europe. Since the outbreak of the war, EU countries have been seeking to reduce their dependence on Russian gas and import more gas from other countries, including Norway and the US. Europe risks losing more Russian gas this winter, as the transit agreement for Russian gas supplies through Ukraine expires at the end of the year. The EU said it would not pressure Ukraine to extend the agreement, adding that countries could manage without these supplies. Last year, Russia supplied 15 billion cubic metres of gas to the EU, while total EU gas consumption was 295 billion cubic metres.

Europe’s last winter was mild and demand was low. As a result, storage facilities were relatively full at the start of this year, making it easier to refill them over the summer. Gas reserves are used during Europe’s coldest months, when demand for heating is highest.

GIE data, however, show a very different situation in Ukraine. There, storage facilities are only 23 percent full.