Iea, EU faces winter with lowest gas storages since 2013

In the European Union, gas deposits are preparing to face the 2026-27 heating season with stocks at the lowest levels since 2013. This is what the IEA (International Energy Agency) writes in its latest report, underlining that this further increases the region's dependence on global LNG supplies to meet seasonal demand peaks and could make it particularly vulnerable if next winter is colder than expected, or in the event of technical failures or other supply interruptions.

IEA simulations indicate that gas storage levels in the EU could fall below 10% of operational capacity by the end of March 2027, assuming colder than average weather conditions and continued disruptions to LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz. This would make the European market particularly vulnerable to unexpected events - such as further cold spells, technical failures or other interruptions in supplies - given that the speed at which gas can be withdrawn from storage facilities tends to decrease when filling levels fall below the threshold of 30% of operational capacity. Furthermore, low storage levels would significantly increase the need to inject gas into plants during the summer of 2027, potentially prolonging market tensions into the following year.