MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Gas reserves in underground storage (UGS) facilities in Germany, the leading European country in terms of storage capacity, have dropped below 30%, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE).

German UGS facilities were 29.78% full as of March 15 with around 7.2 bln cubic meters of gas.

The other leading countries in terms of gas storage capacity are also actively using up their accumulated fuel. UGS facilities in France are 21.57% full, in Austria - 45.62%, in Italy - 45.96%, and in the Netherlands - 22.85%.

Slovakia's storage facilities are 38.62% full, Hungary's - 38.83%, the Czech Republic's - 35.57%, Romania's - 27.12%, Bulgaria's - 34.18%, Belgium's - 32.71%, Denmark's - 28.86%, Latvia's - 39.14%, and Croatia's - 13.41%.

The highest stock level in Europe is currently registered in Portugal (80.15%). Sweden (51.08%), Spain (61.3%) and Poland (46.57%) are also at the top of the list.

Earlier, TASS reported, citing data from Gas Infrastructure Europe, that gas reserves in European UGS facilities fell to about 35% for the first time in more than three years and amount to less than 39 bln cubic meters. Withdrawals from underground gas storage facilities accelerated slightly amid a slight cold snap. Since the beginning of the heating season, net withdrawals (the difference between withdrawals and injections) from EU UGS facilities have been around 67 bln cubic meters.