MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Gas injection into European underground gas storage (UGS) facilities at the end of September has remained at its highest level in four years, with total reserves approaching 71%, according to TASS calculations based on Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) data.

As of September 26, Europe’s UGS facilities were 70.87% full (15.73 percentage points below the five-year average for this date), compared to 82.2% in the previous year, which is the lowest level recorded for this date since tracking began in 2011. EU storage facilities hold around 77.6 bln cubic meters of gas, which is 13 bln cubic meters lower than last year’s levels and the lowest volume since 2013.

The European Commission requests EU members to make sure their UGS facilities are 90% full between October 1 and December 1 of each year. Moreover, 10% flexibility is allowed in the event of difficult UGS filling conditions. Thus, net injection into European storage facilities by the start of the 2026-2027 autumn-winter period must reach at least 68 bcm to meet the filling standard.

To date, Europe has managed to inject 69% of gas required for the upcoming winter, or 47 bln cubic meters, into its UGS facilities.