In July 2026, the European Union spent a record amount of gas from…
In July 2026, the European Union spent a record amount of gas from its winter storage reserves due to extreme heat and drought, leading to a significant drop in storage levels and increased reliance on gas for electricity generation.
Consensus
- The European Union used a record volume of gas from underground storage facilities in July 2026.
- The record gas withdrawal occurred due to extreme heat and drought in Europe.
- Gas consumption increased because of widespread use of air conditioning systems.
- Hydroelectric and nuclear power generation were hampered by low water levels in rivers and lakes.
- The net addition to underground gas storage in July 2026 was the lowest since 2020.
- By the end of July 2026, storage levels in Europe were at 56.92%, down from 68.58% the previous year.
- Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) provided the statistical data used to assess the situation.
Points of divergence
- The European Union spent 964 million cubic meters of gas from underground storage in July 2026 — a record since 2022. — tg_rian_ru
- The amount of gas withdrawn in July 2026 was nearly 1 billion cubic meters, the highest for this summer month since 2022. — vesti
Coverage (2 sources)
- EU spent record volume of winter-stored gas due to heat. — РИА Новости (Telegram)
- EU spent record amount on gas reserves against the backdrop of heat — Вести