The UK will cut gas supplies to mainland Europe in the event of severe shortages. The Financial Times revealed: “The disruption of the so-called Interconnection Pipelines would be one of the first actions envisaged by the UK’s Gas Contingency Plan, which could be activated by National Grid should supplies fall in the coming months”. European Gas companies have urged the UK to work with the EU, warning that shutting down interconnectors could backfire if shortages persist Britain imports large quantities of gas from the continent, especially in winter.
“I would strongly recommend the UK to cut the interconnector[im Falle einer Krise]to reconsider,” said Bart Jan Hoevers, President of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas, when he explained, “if it is for the continent in summer, so it is for the UK in winter”. Britain will test its gas shortage contingency plan in September. National Grid said the plan will be tested annually, adding that the latest exercise “will reflect the circumstances” in which Russia will reduce gas exports to Europe. The pipelines would be capped as part of a four-stage contingency plan if a severe supply disruption occurred, leading to a loss of pressure in the gas system. Other immediate measures include halting supplies to large industrial consumers and asking households to reduce consumption.[incasodicrisi”hadichiaratoBartJanHoeverspresidentedellaReteeuropeadeigestorideisistemiditrasmissionedelgasinquantohaspiegato“seèvantaggiosoperilcontinenteinestateloèancheperilRegnoUnitoininverno”IlRegnoUnitotesteràilsuopianodiemergenzaperlacarenzadigasasettembreNationalGridhadichiaratocheilpianovienetestatoogniannoaggiungendochel’ultimaesercitazione“rifletteràlecircostanze”incuilaRussiaridurràleesportazionidigasversol’EuropaIgasdottiverrebberotagliaticomepartediunpianodiemergenzainquattrofasinelcasoincuisiverificasseunagravecarenzadiforniturecheportasseaunaperditadipressionesulsistemadelgasAltremisurediemergenzaincludonol’interruzionedellefornitureaigrandiutentiindustrialiel’invitoallefamigliearidurreiconsumi[incasodicrisi”hadichiaratoBartJanHoeverspresidentedellaReteeuropeadeigestorideisistemiditrasmissionedelgasinquantohaspiegato“seèvantaggiosoperilcontinenteinestateloèancheperilRegnoUnitoininverno”IlRegnoUnitotesteràilsuopianodiemergenzaperlacarenzadigasasettembreNationalGridhadichiaratocheilpianovienetestatoogniannoaggiungendochel’ultimaesercitazione“rifletteràlecircostanze”incuilaRussiaridurràleesportazionidigasversol’EuropaIgasdottiverrebberotagliaticomepartediunpianodiemergenzainquattrofasinelcasoincuisiverificasseunagravecarenzadiforniturecheportasseaunaperditadipressionesulsistemadelgasAltremisurediemergenzaincludonol’interruzionedellefornitureaigrandiutentiindustrialiel’invitoallefamigliearidurreiconsumi
This month Germany and the Netherlands activated their contingency plans, restarted coal-fired power plants and urged industry to cut gas consumption after Russia halted gas exports. Since March, according to the FT, “two undersea pipelines linking the UK with Belgium and the Netherlands have been operating at maximum capacity, exporting 75 million cubic meters of gas a day to the continent, while Europe rushes to build a storage reserve against further Russian cuts”. The UK has minimal gas storage capacity, so excess supplies, including imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes, are sent to the continent when demand is low in the summer months. But during very cold winter periods, like the 2018 Beast from the East storm, the UK received up to 20-25% of the gas through its two-way interconnectors with EU countries, according to analysts.
