MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/. European countries’ underground gas storage (UGS) facilities are 80% full, according to data provided by Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). With current pumping rates maintained, Europe may fill its UGS facilities by 90% it targets for the heating season as early as by the end of August.

European UGS facilities are currently 80.1% full (15.16 percentage points higher than the average as of this date in the past five years), with 87.36 bln cubic meters of gas stored in them. The heating season in Europe ended on April 6.

Last year the occupancy of the EU’s gas storage facilities reached its peak level of 95.64% in the middle of November. In early October they were 90% full.