National Grid appeals for more gas as imports fail to arrive

Link to full story
www.guardian.co.uk...

What can I say, considering last winter we were exporting gas to Europe during the Gasprom crisis now we are in this situation.

But to be honest it feels like typical UK gov planning shambles, and I guess from their point of view there were no lessons to be learned at all from the gas shortage across Europe last winter (or perhaps they didn't notice it as they were to busy filling in their expense forms)

so what will the cost be of importing more gas from abroad!! I bet it won't be cheap, who's soul will they sell this time!

Fortunately I have 2 other forms of heating should the gas fail, but what will happen to those who rely on the gas to keep warm!..

Edit to add from Source

Titled changed from
UK gas reserves down to six hours as imports fail to arrive

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that UK stored gas reserves had fallen to six hours. After further briefings with National Grid, we understand the figure is actually seven days. The discrepancy resulted from a misunderstanding of how the supply data was presented. We apologise for the error

[edit on 11/1/10 by thoughtsfull]

Now would be a bad time for a terrorist attack on the system. Do they guard the pipelines?

I hope that this gets sorted out soon because I have an 80 year old nan that only has gas for her heating and hot water. I´m sure there are many others that will also be hugely affected and electric heaters will fly off the shelves but not everyone can afford to just go out and buy a heater or run it.

reply to post by Maya00a


I know it's very worrying.. how will people manage? especially the elderly.. People my way are not rich, indeed the police have been trying to apprehend those in my community that already cut up the trees that have been blown down in local woods as they can not afford coal or other fuels.. the posters they pin on the trees look like something out of a robin hood movie

Not sure how they would be able to afford Electric heaters.. indeed can we supply that much electric?

reply to post by liveandletlive


I very much doubt they do protect the pipes (but I'm not sure)... tho I would suspect an attack on one of major power plants would have a greater effect if the gas supplies run out.

I dont think we do guard the pipelines, most are at the bottom of the North sea.

UKs Dash for Gas

www.ft.com...

A steep increase in the number of gas-fired power stations has been approved by the government, raising fears about the growing pressure on future gas supplies.

This new "dash for gas", along with the huge investment in wind power launched by the government on Friday, reinforces concerns that Britain's infrastructure may become more vulnerable to extreme weather and supply disruption.

About 14,000 megawatts of new gas-fired generation have been approved, according to New Power, an industry journal.

So we are down to the last bit of our gas reserves and hoping nothing else happens so we can squeak through this mess and the Gov want to build more gas fired power stations... are the bl**dy mad?

I have the impression that the UK gov is going "wibble wibble" and in need of the men in white coats..

Just to be clear on the UK govs position

We won`t run out of gas, says Brown
www.mirror.co.uk...

"wibble wibble" I think what he meant to say was the "he" won't run out of gas..

reply to post by thoughtsfull

If the weather stays cold and people start running out of fuel this could easily turn into a "Katrina."

This is so typical. You know if we could all just quit being so needy governments could cut more corners, fund more war and get so much richer for it. Who do we think we are expecting heat at a reasonable rate?

I hope your other 2 sources won't cost a fortune to use. I'd donate some good Colorado pinon firewood if I could afford the shipping. Good luck.

Why do we have such small reserves? for over a year now there have been negotiations with the Crown Estate (UK Gov) to use the depleted gas fields as huge storage facilities, but the gov wants to increase the rent by 300%

Now the companies spearheading eight storage projects are accusing the Crown Estate of abusing its monopoly position - it owns the seabed up to 14 miles offshore. They say the already fragile viability of potential projects is being threatened by 'intrusive and excessive' rent demands.

After more than 18 months of negotiations there is frustration and anger among the energy companies, which claim they are being blocked as the Crown Estate uses its 'unregulated monopoly position to maximise revenues'.

There is also resentment at what they regard as the Crown Estate's 'arrogance'. One company official said: 'They told us, ''If you don't like our terms, why don't you develop onshore?''

www.dailymail.co.uk...

Around and around they go.. and at what point are the gov acting in the best interests of the UK population!

reply to post by Morningglory


Thanks for the thoughts... I have a survivalist spirit (one who likes to stay warm and cosy) so am prepared.. but I do worry about my neighbours and the elderly.. Coal has doubled in price here since the cold snap started. No wonder some members of my community feel the need to chop up the trees for firewood..

Hope you stay warm..

Nice to know we are actually running so close on things! This was the storyline of an episode of Spooks a few weeks ago... and seems like it's the real deal now.

Just found a link to this story on my igoogle homepage... however the story seems to have been removed from the Gaudian site, the headline is there, but the link goes through to a 'page you have requested can not be found' display.

Anyone think they could have been 'asked' to take it down to avoid scaring the public?

It's not exactly a news story that brings christmassy cheer in our hearts while we're freezing our bollocks off even with the heating on! If it's true old Brow is up for it

Originally posted by thoughtsfull


UKs Dash for Gas

www.ft.com...

A steep increase in the number of gas-fired power stations has been approved by the government, raising fears about the growing pressure on future gas supplies.

This new "dash for gas", along with the huge investment in wind power launched by the government on Friday, reinforces concerns that Britain's infrastructure may become more vulnerable to extreme weather and supply disruption.

About 14,000 megawatts of new gas-fired generation have been approved, according to New Power, an industry journal.

So we are down to the last bit of our gas reserves and hoping nothing else happens so we can squeak through this mess and the Gov want to build more gas fired power stations... are the bl**dy mad?

I have the impression that the UK gov is going "wibble wibble" and in need of the men in white coats..

I work in the power station industry, my company told the government ten years ago we need to start building new stations, most of the current big coal fired stations are coming to an end, they only have a shelf life of thirty years, since the industry was privatized most of the plants have been run into the ground, we told the Gov if they don’t start building new stations we’re in for black outs, the problem we have is the governments are only interested in their term in power, their not interested in what will happen in say ten years time (they say they are but they aint) we are now looking into more gas stations but also nukes and clean coal stations, IMO nuclear and clean coal technology (carbon capture, desulfurization) is the way forward, the French are mainly nuclear powered, the problem their facing is their nuclear stations are also coming to an end too, now while a few gas stations have been proposed and indeed some have been approved, the driving force from the public is to use renewable energy, that’s why we’re seeing the offshore wind farms being put forward off the south cost, this is all very well but unfortunately these type of power producing capabilities produce very little compared to the big 2000/4000 MW stations, we need energy, lots of it to keep the UK running, gas is one of many different fuels used, don’t get thinking we’re putting all our eggs in one basket and only going for gas stations, that isn’t going to happen…

Source just changed the time frame from six hours to seven days. Still grim if you ask me! Did someone just get a government slap or is it really seven days? We will never know until it gets real cold at home..

The story from the Guardian which was linked in the OP has now been corrected.

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that UK stored gas reserves had fallen to six hours. After further briefings with National Grid, we understand the figure is actually seven days. The discrepancy resulted from a misunderstanding of how the supply data was presented. We apologise for the error

Originally posted by Bunker or Bust
Source just changed the time frame from six hours to seven days. Still grim if you ask me! Did someone just get a government slap or is it really seven days? We will never know until it gets real cold at home..

Really not sure since the Guardian isn't prone to making these mistakes since they pretty lefty and supportive of the Gov... The 6 hours has been replicated in other share/finance sites since the rebalancing alert affects shares deeply..

more like a purchase order in my opinion and those on the receiving end rub their hands together..

So the share increase places this for me in the realms of highly possible the original was correct, but the gas pipe from Norway is again working, so it's wait and see I guess.. I have my fingers crossed that we squeak through this one.

reply to post by Bunker or Bust


As far as I was aware we are always something like 8 or so days away from running out of gas because that is the capacity in the system (I may be wrong or out of date here).

I remember reading figures for all the various fuels and other things... For instance when we had the fuel protests it was said that within 1 week of no or very minimal deliveries to supermarkets the shelves would be all but bare - and after 2 weeks the country would have a serious dose of civil unrest as people start rioting and looting any food supplies - home invasions and serious assaults stuff like that.

So if were at 7 days gas left now I would say that's just a little on the low side compared to normal... 6 hours is cutting it a little fine though!

Russia must be watching this very very closely!

last of the resources eh? What impecable timing. What a perfect possible scenario.
Imagine this (only a theory so lay off with the head blagging ok)
What if, and its a big what if,
you are someone in the know, and you know that free energy is imminent. You and others have benefited from the sale of resources for years, you have benefited from the taxes imposed on everything, you are one of those that instruct the government.
What if, within the very very near future free energy comes to light? You will lose your income, the way you live and the person you have become?
What if these such people are benefitting from the current global winter, or what if this weather was infact made to happen, by HAARP. This would make sure whats there will be used, it will have to be bought by those you dictate to.
You simply make sure you get as much money as you can from what is left, before your own supplies of money runs out.

reply to post by Now_Then


We are always at 7 or 8 days from running out, yet 2 of the plants that are supplying the UK are closed or on reduced output and we are still at the 7 or 8 days stage! I smell a rat with as the story was pulled and Brown has put his neck on the line and promised the gas will not run out...

My gut says the original story... 6 hours from running out is correct and we'll know shortly if the story was true or not, or how effective the rebalancing is..

A wait and see game..

reply to post by Majestic RNA


One of those wind farms is promised off shore here.. to be honest people are champing at the bit that we get the thumbs up which just came through

Link
Its very late, and always better late than never.. but still gas powered support for when the the wind is low, which is the same time as high requirement for gas in the first place puts a lot of risk in the system

edit to fix link

[edit on 11/1/10 by thoughtsfull]