The Netherlands could face a gas shortage in the coming years if the government does not take measures. Gasunie Transport Services (GTS), the operator of the national gas network, warns about this.
If future winters are colder than average, the gas storage facilities could be relatively empty after the winter. Then there is a ‘real chance’ that the following summer it will not be possible to fill the storage areas sufficiently in case the following winter becomes very cold again.
The chance of this happening seems small, but according to GTS it is important to ‘act proactively’ to continue to guarantee the supply of natural gas, now that the import of Russian gas has stopped and it has been decided not to continue with the gas extraction in the Groningen field.
Build emergency stock
Several measures are proposed in an advisory report. For example, there should be a legally established filling standard for gas storage facilities. GTS also advises to start building an emergency stock, so that you still have some gas on hand in an emergency.
Outgoing Minister Rob Jetten for Climate and Energy says that the risks mentioned in the report are reason for the cabinet to remain vigilant. ‘Although the chance that the shortages outlined by GTS will occur is very small, the economic and social consequences would be major.’
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The government is also working on a bill to be better prepared for a possible gas crisis. According to Jetten, that bill should go to the House of Representatives this fall. According to the minister, the government remains committed to sufficient capacity for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Discussions about this are also ongoing with Gasunie.
Gate Terminal Rotterdam
The risk of a capacity shortage must be temporarily resolved from October 2026 with the expansion of the Gate Terminal near Rotterdam. But the problem may arise again after the expiry of the temporary LNG terminal in Eemshaven in September 2027, Jetten acknowledges.
Also read | Groningen permanently closed: ‘Exhaust wells as quickly as possible’
Due to the mild weather, the security of gas supply was not jeopardized last winter. The Dutch gas storage facilities were also well filled in advance. On November 1, they were 99.6 percent full. At the beginning of last month this was still 64.9 percent. This more than met the fill level of 43 percent prescribed by Brussels for that date.
