The key facts
- EU storage facilities are 75% full — the lowest since 2013 (Il Sole 24 Ore citing the IEA)
- According to Gas Infrastructure Europe, as of early November — 74.62% versus 82.8% a year earlier
- Italy reports 95% fill, while Germany and the Netherlands show low figures
Reserves below 80% for the first time since 2013
European gas storage facilities are only 75% full at the start of the heating season — the lowest level since 2013. This is reported by the Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, citing a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). By the end of October, the fill level had dropped below the 80% mark, and according to the agency's experts, this situation increases the risks for getting through the winter, especially in the event of prolonged cold weather.
Causes and differences between countries
The newspaper cites the tense situation around the Strait of Hormuz as one of the reasons for the decline in reserves: shipping disruptions complicated gas supplies and pushed prices up. European importers had counted on fuel prices falling in the summer, but those expectations did not materialize. The situation within the EU varies considerably: Italy reports that its underground storage facilities are 95% full, whereas in many other countries reserve levels are significantly lower. According to the IEA, insufficient reserves make the European market more vulnerable to new supply disruptions and further increases in gas prices.
Storage data as of early November
Earlier, Life.ru reported, citing Gas Infrastructure Europe,that by early November European storage facilities were 74.62% full, compared with 82.8% a year earlier. Particularly low figures were recorded in Germany and the Netherlands, while Italy and Poland had accumulated noticeably more fuel. Thus, the two available estimates — the IEA report and the data of the European infrastructure association — agree that the fill level is around 74–75%, confirming the scale of the shortfall from last year's level.
