MOSCOW, July 27. /TASS/. Gas reserves in underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in Europe have exceeded 55%, which remains the lowest level in five years, according to TASS calculations based on Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) data.

Total net injection (the net difference between injection and withdrawal volumes) since the beginning of July has been 19% lower than last year’s figures, standing at a six-year low.

Currently, European UGS facilities are 55.35% full compared to 66.5% in the previous year, containing around 60.5 bln cubic meters (bcm) of gas, which is 12.5 bcm less than last year's stockpiles.

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 44% of the volumes needed for the upcoming winter into its underground gas storage facilities.