Monday 25 July 2022

National Grid seeks emergency permission to pump more gas to Europe

National Grid has asked for emergency permission to pump more gas to Europe.

The company has applied to the Joint Office of Gas Transporters for permission to increase the pressure on the 235-kilometre pipeline between Bacton, Norfolk and Balgzand in the Netherlands.

This change is expected to enable the pipeline to export 34% more than normal levels.

The official document seen by ELN states: "BBL (the interconnector between the Netherlands and the UK) is seeking to maximise quantities of gas it is able to export from GB to continental Europe in order to help address existing gas supply shortage which are being experienced in continental Europe.

"In order to do so, it requires access to the enhanced pressure service provided by National Grid and an appropriate increase in its maximum daily exit flows from the NTS. Maximising exports to continental Europe ahead of winter 2022/23 will contribute to security of supply across the continent and enable storage stocks to be increased."

A National Grid spokesperson 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."

Last week, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen presented a package of measures, including a plan to force countries into domestic gas cuts.

An extraordinary meeting of EU energy ministers is to take place in Brussels tomorrow to exchange views on the security of energy supply in the continent in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.