MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Europe’s daily liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports fell to a 20-month low in early July 2026 despite the heatwave and the need to replenish depleted underground gas storage (UGS) facilities, according to TASS calculations based on Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) data.

Since the beginning of July, LNG flows from European terminals into the EU gas transmission system have fallen by 30% compared to the same period last year. Notably, on July 2, daily LNG imports dropped to their lowest level since November 2024, totaling just 261 mln cubic meters.

Europe is currently gripped by extreme heat. During such summer periods, the demand for electricity to power cooling systems and air conditioners rises sharply. Natural gas is one of the primary sources of electricity generation, alongside nuclear, wind, and solar power.

European UGS facilities are currently 49.47% full (14.98 percentage points below the five-year average for this date), compared to 59.4% in the previous year. They hold 54 bln cubic meters of gas, which is 11.1 bln cubic meters less than last year’s reserves.

The European Commission requests EU members to make sure their UGS facilities are 90% full in the period from October 1 to December 1 of each year, with 10% flexibility 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.