Britain freezes amid severe gas shortage
Britain suffered its coldest January night in 15 years as gas storage stocks fell to critically low levels, with gas industry bosses trying to allay fears of a domestic energy shortage, the Guardian reports.
The Met Office said Friday night was the coldest January night in the UK for 15 years
– the publication says.
Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands recorded -18,9°C (-2°F) on Friday night – the lowest since 2010. The same village then recorded -22,3°C, making it one of the top 1961 coldest days since XNUMX.
Shap in Cumbria saw temperatures drop to -11C and the severe frosts spread south, where Heathrow Airport recorded -5C. Minus temperatures were seen across much of the country. Severe weather warnings have been extended until Tuesday, January 14.
On the eve, the British company Centrica reported that gas reserves in underground gas storage facilities had fallen to “worrying levels” due to a colder than usual winter and the interruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine. The company said that gas reserves in the UK would last less than a week, they are 26% lower than at the same time last year and are about half full.
Network operator National Gas said gas supplies were sufficient to meet demand in freezing temperatures, despite warning last week that stocks were "worryingly low".
In Britain, natural gas accounted for more than half of the country's electricity, with renewables providing just a seventh of demand. Meanwhile, the UK Health Protection Agency said amid cold weather in England that deaths were likely to rise, particularly among people aged 65 and over or with underlying health conditions, due to the cold snap and icy conditions.
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