ACER’s report on national gas storage regulations provides an overview of the current national gas storage regulations. This report is relevant in the context of the current discussions on new policies for filling storages next winter.
The importance of gas storage
The European Commission’s REPowerEU communication (March 2022) highlights the need to be prepared for a possible interruption of gas supply. Gas storage plays an important role for ensuring continuity of gas supply. More recently, the Commission has tabled a legislative proposal introducing a minimum of 80% gas storage level obligation by 1 November for next winter, rising to 90% for the following years. EU leaders are expected to discuss and decide soon on the approach to refill Europe’s storage facilities.
The ACER report sets out the current storage situation across the EU and is based on information provided by its members, the national regulatory authorities (NRAs).
What are the main findings?
1. Facts on storage: the EU-27 storage capacity represents around 27% of the annual gas consumption of the European Union.
2. Type of storage regulation varies across Member States. 11 Member States have opted for regulated third-party access rules and regulated tariffs, while in the other 7 Member States, access to storage is negotiated between users and operators.
3. Book and usage of storage: on 1st October 2021, the booked storage capacity in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Slovakia was significantly above actual used capacity due to low filling levels of storages used or controlled by Gazprom.
4. Gas in storage obligations varies across Member States: 11 Member States have some type of storage obligations. In 7 Member States, there are no storage obligations at all.
5. Monitoring and compliance with storage obligations: overall, storage operators carry out regular monitoring of storage filling levels.
6. Different storage tariffs and capacity products coexist and vary across Member States.
7. Assessment of storage and national plans to establish storage obligations. NRAs have increased vigilance over gas storage this winter. The main concern is the filling of gas storages for the upcoming winter.
8. Validation of data provided by storage operators to ENTSOG and GIE AGSI+ Platform. Most NRAs report no or minor differences on the data provided by storage operators.
