Reports of eight days' gas reserves 'untrue'
The government has dismissed claims that the UK has only eight days' gas reserves
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday 8 January, the prime minister's spokesman (PMS) said the reports that there were only eight days of gas left in storage were untrue. We have an advantage as a country as we had, in a sense, our own natural storage, which was provided by the North Sea, although this did not mean we were complacent.
The PMS went on to say the stories regarding companies who had had their gas supply cut off referred to companies who had interruptible contracts. An interruptible contract meant that gas was bought at a price lower than the commercial price, on the understanding that in the event of pressure on the system the contract would be interrupted. Ed Miliband and colleagues were in contact with the National Grid regarding the gas supply situation.
