BRUSSELS, February 2. /TASS/. Gas storage facilities in EU countries are currently filled by 40% on average, which is 10% lower than last year, whereas the underground storages owned by Russia’s Gazprom are filled by around 16%, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said addressing the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy on Wednesday.
"The level of gas storage in the EU is constantly going down like it does during every heating season, but right now it is around 40%, which is 10% lower than at the same time in previous years. Underground storages owned by Gazprom in the EU are currently filled by 16%," she said.
"We have been observing lower gas flows on Ukrainian and Belarusian routes, which resulted in gas flowing from Germany to Poland instead of other way around for five weeks," Simson said, adding that the ordinary flow of gas from Poland to Germany only resumed on Wednesday.
That said, the European Union received record supplies of liquified natural gas in January, which partially offset the shortage of pipeline gas, she noted.
Prices on the EU’s gas market have slightly stabilized, though remaining extremely high and volatile, at around $1,000 per 1,000 cubic meters, European Commissioner for Energy said, adding that gas prices are unlikely to decline to their ordinary average levels.