On Friday 15 December, ACER published its opinion on the Winter Supply Outlook for 2023-2024 produced by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG).
While ACER welcomes this timely publication, it notes the ongoing risk of interruption to Russian gas supplies and calls for effective monitoring of gas supplies in Europe and storage facility filling trajectories.
The ENTSOG report states that the EU’s gas infrastructure is sufficient to meet winter demand and storage targets if Member States cooperate. Storage levels reached 90% in August 2023, but certain high-demand scenarios may still present risks. A minimum of 46% of the gas volume must be retained after winter to meet summer demand and reach the 90% target by 1 November 2024.
ACER appreciates that the analysis carried out by ENTSOG includes different scenarios, including a total interruption of Russian gas supply and different availability of LNG imports and storage filling levels. It is also pleased that ENTSOG is assessing the level of preparedness for winter 2024-25.
However, it suggests improvements to ENTSOG’s methodology in terms of defining demand and supply projections and transparency by publishing the assumptions underlying the different demand and supply scenarios.
In addition, it calls for ENTOG and ENTSO-E to work together to ensure consistent assumptions in their seasonal outlooks and to align the timing of their publication.
Read ACER’s opinion: https://aeur.eu/f/a5w (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)