MOSCOW, July 9. /TASS/. Gas inventories in European underground storage (UGS) facilities may fail to reach even 75% by the start of the heating season at current injection rates, posing risks to consumer gas supplies in winter, Gazprom said.

"According to Gas Infrastructure Europe, as of July 7, European UGS facilities had accumulated 10.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas (16.8%) less than on the same date in 2025. If injection continues at the current pace, the fullness level of European storage facilities will drop below 75% by October 1," the company said in a statement.

Insufficient reserves in UGS facilities by the heating season will create significant risks for the reliable supply of gas to European consumers this coming winter, Gazprom noted.

TASS previously reported that inventories in European storage facilities were at a five-year low of 50.88% (15.12 percentage points lower than the five-year average for this date), compared to 60.9% a year earlier. They currently hold 55.6 bcm of gas.

Under European Commission mandates, EU countries must ensure their gas storage facilities are filled to 90% of capacity between October 1 and December 1 each year. A 10% flexibility margin is allowed under challenging filling conditions. Consequently, net injection into European storage facilities by the start of the 2026-2027 autumn-winter period must total at least 68 bcm to meet the target fullness standard. To date, Europe has managed to pump only 37% of the volumes required for the upcoming winter.

This year’s storage replenishment rates have been heavily impacted by a lost "battle" with Asia for spot LNG volumes amid the Middle East conflict, higher fuel prices, and extreme heat in June and July. During such summer periods, electricity demand for cooling systems and air conditioners surges. Natural gas remains one of the primary sources of power generation, alongside nuclear, wind, and solar energy.