Warns of energy shortages as cold snap hits UK-Russia gas shutdown

In the UK, natural gas supplies from Russia via Ukrainian gas pipelines were cut off in the new year and a winter cold wave continued, prompting energy shortages warnings.

Britain's biggest gas supplier Centrica said colder weather than usual and a halt to Russian gas supplies through Ukraine had reduced gas inventories across the UK.

Centrica said gas inventories as of the 9th were down 26 percentage points from the same point last year, noting that they were less than a week and a minute from demand, which is a worryingly low level.

Another European country also said inventories were lower than the previous year, but added that UK gas stocks were about 10 percentage points lower than France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Prices have been rising since the contract for the Russian natural gas transport agreement through Ukrainian gas pipelines expired on Dec. 31 last year, as demand for gas supplies through ships and others has been concentrated.

In response, the British government explained that its diverse and resilient energy system is sufficient to meet demand for gas and electricity this winter.