British Gas proprietor Centrica hikes capability at UK’s largest fuel storage facility to bolster winter energy safety

Energy large Centrica has elevated capability on the UK’s largest fuel storage facility to spice up resilience within the coming winter.

The Rough web site, positioned 18 miles off the East Yorkshire coast within the North Sea, had been mothballed in 2017 however reopened final yr, when it was capable of retailer round 30 billion cubic ft (bcf) of fuel.

The mother or father firm of British Gas says it has now elevated this to 54 billion bcf.

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The facility now supplies half of the UK’s complete fuel storage.

It will maintain sufficient fuel to warmth 2.4 million properties over winter, the agency stated.

Centrica group chief govt Chris O’Shea stated: “The resilience of the UK’s energy system needs to be substantially improved.

“We are delighted to play our half by additional increasing the UK’s fuel storage capability.

“Rough isn’t a silver bullet for power safety, however it performs a vital function in rising capability and provide confidence over the winter months.

“Rough can help our energy system by storing natural gas when there is a surplus and producing this gas when the country needs it during cold snaps and peak demand.”

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The transfer comes as power costs for households are set to drop from Saturday as a result of a decrease in Ofgem’s energy price cap following a fall in wholesale fuel costs.

Earlier this week, the National Grid confirmed it will have no coal-fired power as back-up this winter to assist hold the lights on.

There have been 5 contingency items to name on final yr because the power market reeled from the influence of Russia’s struggle in Ukraine.

They have been warmed up a number of instances and used throughout March when a cold snap hit wind generation.

But they won’t be obtainable sooner or later because of the federal government drive to deal with climate change.

The National Grid Electricity Systems Operator (ESO) has already stated it was “prudent to maintain” the demand flexibility service (DFS), which was launched in 2022.

The initiative, which was activated for the primary time in January after a sequence of checks and false alarms, sees volunteer households paid to show off their principal home equipment at instances of peak demand.