Britain has just 8 days of gas supplies left - Tories

drc

From The Telegraph;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/gas/6936327/Britain-has-just-eight-days-of-gas-supplies-left-Tories-claim.html

Figures obtained by the Tories suggested that if the icy weather conditions continue, storage supplies could begin to run out early next week.
Greg Clark, the Shadow Energy Secretary, accused the Government of negligence over the issue, claiming they had ignored repeated warnings over potential shortages.
For only the second time ever, the National Grid on Monday issued a warning to energy providers that demand for gas is threatening to outstrip supply.
The ultimatum comes after a 30 per cent rise on normal seasonal demand as snow and freezing conditions continued their stranglehold on Britain.
But the Conservatives claimed the Government had failed to put contingency plans in place for more than a decade.
Mr Clark said: ”This alert is just a taste of what’s to come as a result of Labour's negligence. Gas supply shortages are already being predicted in the North West and East Midlands and at today’s level of demand we only have enough stored gas for another eight days worth of supply.
"I have repeatedly warned that Britain lacks the essential back-up plans needed for situations like this one. The Government has had its head in the sand on this issue for 12 years.
“When will the Government understand we need more storage capacity and the ability to get gas to consumers so nobody has to face the possibility of going without gas during cold snaps like this one?”
However, Gordon Brown denied the country was facing a gas supply crisis.
He said: "I think Britain can deal with these problems. There are always difficulties when we have a long spell of bad weather. But we can cope."
Concerns over supplies caused natural gas prices to jump to their highest level in 10 months yesterday, touching 45p a therm.
While it is unlikely that households will find their supplies restricted, a shortage could lead to higher bills.
The National Grid, responsible for meeting the country's energy requirements, issued a gas balancing alert (GBA) yesterday to give warning that any further falls in supply could force big users like power plants to cut their consumption.
Extra gas supplies were rushed out to the liquefied natural gas importation terminal in Kent through pipelines in Belgium and Norway following the alert.
The National Grid said the risk of shortages had been temporarily averted by the influx.
"Supplies of gas to the UK have increased following the issuing of a gas balancing alert today," a spokesman said.
He added: "The big generators like E. ON have gas-fired power stations and coal-fired power stations. They can choose to switch from gas to coal.
"(Yesterday) we thought there was going to be a certain amount of gas going into the country and then a few suppliers, their supplies dropped off.
"They weren't going to be able to provide the amount that we thought, so we issued a GBA so hopefully that's going to bring it back to where it should be."
The first time the alert was used was in March 2006.
The alerts are a way of warning customers to ease off on the fuel as well as encouraging suppliers to bring in more gas, which Britain relies on imports for.
The fuel is used to heat about two thirds of Britain's homes.
Freezing weather is set to stay in the coming weeks, and the National Grid has not ruled out sending out further supply warnings.
In the event of a serious shortage, big industrial consumers are expected to bear the brunt of gas consumption cuts to shield residential users who rely on the fuel to keep warm.

colin13

in some places in scotland salt has already finished and very low in rest,here in north lanarkshir they are only doin main routes ,aand not filling grit bins

StevieJ

Shortage have been on the agenda for quite a while, it is nice of the Tories to raise it as part of their election campaign those who increased our exposure to gas and destroyed our home grown coal industry for political gain.

sandiep

And the UK's normal gas stock levels are????

But hey, that doesn't make such a good story does it.

mbga9pgf

All this doom is going to do wonders for the wholesale price though!

mbga9pgf

StevieJ wrote: »

Shortage have been on the agenda for quite a while, it is nice of the Tories to raise it as part of their election campaign those who increased our exposure to gas and destroyed our home grown coal industry for political gain.

Or who saved state funds by closing down an uneconomic sector of the economy, with dangerous working conditions and that was already heavily subsidised by the state?

StevieJ

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Or who saved state funds by closing down an uneconomic sector of the economy, with dangerous working conditions and that was already heavily subsidised by the state?

Maybe thet should close the armed forces down as well, it seems to have a similar Raison d'être to one you described

1984ReturnsForReal_2

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Or who saved state funds by closing down an uneconomic sector of the economy, with dangerous working conditions and that was already heavily subsidised by the state?

You mean like them coals mines up north?

The ones that were reopened & are profitable?

nembot

Listening to the interview today on Radio 4 think it was, sounded exactly like they had only 8 days left.

purch

Extra gas supplies were rushed out to the liquefied natural gas importation terminal in Kent through pipelines in Belgium and Norway following the alert.
The National Grid said the risk of shortages had been temporarily averted by the influx.

Who would have thought of that ??

We run low of stuff............so we go out and get some more !!!

I will remember not to panic next time by Beer stocks drop below 10 days worth :eek:

LauraW10

speaking to the BBC, National Grid said: "Be assured, the gas isn't going to run out."

"There is no risk of consumers being cut off. The system has in fact been responding extremely well. Britain has a vast amount of storage - it's called the North Sea," said a government spokesman.
Centrica, the parent company of British Gas, agreed with the the government that the system was coping. Its chief executive, Sam Laidlaw, said: "While we are by no means complacent, and watching the situation closely, the evidence is that the UK gas market is currently operating well in the face of severe weather and unprecedented demand. "

The government accused the Conservatives of "scaremongering".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8441782.stm