Belgium meets EU target for winter with gas reserves

Brussels [Belgium], August 18: The Belgian gas supply is currently 92.1% full. Brussels, along with Portugal, has already met the European target for the upcoming winter, according to figures from the Aggregated Gas Storage Inventory (AGSI).
Database on the Gas Infrastructure Europe website showed that the Belgian gas network operator Fluxys has filled the underground gas storage in Loenhout with 7.745 terawatt-hours (TWh) of natural gas. The storage is thus 92.1% full. Only Portugal performs better, with a fully filled gas reserve. For the entire EU, the gas reserves are, according to the figures from Tuesday morning at 6 AM, 72.3% full; this amounts to 820.48 TWh.
Most EU countries do have a larger storage capacity than Belgium, so it takes longer to fill them. Germany has the largest storage capacity, with nearly 250 TWh. There, the reserves are currently 65% full. Italy (83.6%), the Netherlands (60.8%), France (80.8%), and Austria (77.4%) also have significant storage capacity.
Since 2022, EU member states must fill their gas reserves to at least 90% by November 1 each year. This obligation was meant to ensure that they had sufficient buffers after the Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered supply issues. Gas storage facilities cover about 30% of consumption in winter.
Source: Emirates News Agency