UK gas supplies dangerously low
It has been revealed that the UK has the equivalent of just eight days worth of gas usage left in storage, as a back up against potential problems with traditional gas supplies. While there is no chance that the UK will run out of gas it is the fact that even backup plans appear to be struggling which has caught the attention of the Conservative party.
Yesterday we saw the UK government advising large gas users in the business sector to be as efficient as possible and reduce their gas usage as much as they can in the short term. Again, there is no chance of gas supplies to the business arena running out but it does call into question the UK government's policy towards gas supply and other utilities.
When you look back at the history of the UK utility market it is not difficult to spot why the UK market is under pressure at the moment. The vast majority of UK utility companies are now owned by foreign parent companies which are perhaps not as "loyal" to the UK market as a UK owner would be. Whether this is a true reflection of what is going on within the marketplace is an interesting point of discussion.
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