On 12 March 2024, ACER and the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) are hosting a webinar to:
- present the results of a two-part consultancy study on the impact of the EU and national gas storage regulations;
- offer insights into the ongoing implementation of the EU gas storage Regulation;
- engage with stakeholders through polls & Q&A session.
In addition, the European Commission will present its current work related to the implementation of the EU gas storage regulation.
What is the role of gas storage and why is it important?
Gas storage plays an important role in the European gas system, providing 25-30% of the EU’s winter gas consumption. Storing gas helps mitigate the impact of potential gas disruptions. This role becomes increasingly important as the EU reduces its internal gas production and works to phase out its dependency on Russian gas. The energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 underscored the importance of maintaining well-filled gas storages across Europe to safeguard against potential gas supply disruptions.
What is the study about?
The first part of the consultancy study, commissioned to VIS Economic & Energy Consultants, was published in October 2023, while the second one will be published shortly before the webinar in early March.
The aim of the study is to analyse the measures adopted by Member States to strengthen the use of underground storage facilities in the EU and their contribution to the objectives of the EU gas storage Regulation. It is largely based on the information collected from National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) and complemented with publicly available information.
In particular, the study:
- collects and analyses national measures recently applied by EU Member States within the framework of the EU gas storage Regulation;
- assesses how these measures contribute to achieving the storage filling targets and (where possible) estimates the associated costs;
- identifies possible difficulties when implementing the measures;
- assesses storage arrangements in Member States without gas storage;
- discusses best practices in the design of storage measures and recommendations to enhance the efficiency of storage filling obligations.
The study concludes that many of the storage measures proved to be effective. At the same time, it identifies areas for further analysis and possible improvements.
Pre-reading materials
Consultancy study on the impact of the measures included in the EU and National Gas Storage Regulations Part 1 (Part 2 will be published in early March 2024).
