Gas usage set to hit new record
January 7, 2010
Demand for gas in the UK is set to hit a new record on Thursday as people attempt to keep their homes warm through the severely cold weather.
The National Grid estimates usage will reach 455.3 million cubic metres. The current record is 449 million cubic metres, set on 7 January 2003.
The National Grid has issued its second gas balancing alert in three days, asking suppliers to provide more gas.
Some factories have been told their gas supplies will be reduced.
Some 94 industrial users in the North West and East Midlands on "interruptible contracts" were told earlier this week that their gas supplies would be reduced.
In return for reduced tariffs they agree to take lower supply levels when required by the National Grid.
This has not happened for four years.
"Whilst it is easy to say 'I told you so' the fact is we have been warning of such interruptions for a long time and the need for urgent investment in our infrastructure to avoid them," said Roger Salomone, energy adviser to the manufacturers' organisation, the EEF.
"The longstanding vulnerability in our energy system has today been exposed and as a nation we now need to take security of our energy supply more seriously."
Alert
The National Grid is forecasting record demand for gas after 447 million cubic metres was used on Wednesday.
Norwegian gas fields have had a technical problem and will not be able to produce as much as they promised, leading to a shortfall of 52 million cubic metres of gas.
The gas balancing alert asks the markets to react to the shortfall. Suppliers react by selling more gas into the system.
The Langeled pipeline, which takes gas from Norway, should be back up and running by the end of the day thereby reducing the shortfall, a spokeswoman for National Grid said.
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