Rough pumps gas into grid to manage demand from early winter

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• In November, Rough pumped gas into the UK transmission system for the first time this winter to help manage energy demand caused by the current cold snap and severe weather.
• To date in November, Rough has supplied the UK with 4.35Bcf of gas, powering up to 3.8m homes on some days.
• Centrica confirms that Rough reached a new record fill level on 5 November 2024 – the fullest the site has been since reopening in 2022.

The Rough storage site pumped gas into the UK for the first time this winter on 8 November 2024. The site helped manage the increased demand caused by cold weather, and recent storms, pumping 4.35 bcf of gas into the National Transmission System (NTS) so far in November¹, powering up to 3.8m homes on some days.

Centrica has also confirmed that on 5 November 2024, Rough reached a new record fill level - the fullest the site has been since re-opening in 2022.

Rough can provide half of the UK’s total gas storage capacity. The site is filled with gas when demand is lower, for example, over the summer months, and that gas is withdrawn when demand is higher. Storing and withdrawing gas in this way ensures that UK is more insulated against rising gas prices and saves consumers money in the winter months. If the facility had been able to operate at maximum capacity over the peak of the energy crisis (a scenario unreachable without regulatory certainty), it would have saved UK consumers over £5bn².

The UK’s gas storage is likely to be low compared to previous years this winter, according to analysis by Centrica. The colder November has led to early withdrawal from storage sites, reducing storage capacity in the UK before winter officially starts. With gas prices high and flat, some site owners may struggle to refill as the country heads into December. Given the long duration of storage at Rough, Rough was able to be filled by the 5 November. Rough currently holds 44% of the UK’s natural gas storage inventory, holding three times as much gas as the second largest storage³. With the UK currently going through a period of low renewable generation, Rough will likely have an even bigger impact for the coming winter.

Chris O’Shea, Group Chief Executive of Centrica said, “The UK is making great progress in decarbonising its electricity system by bringing more renewables online. That is absolutely to be applauded. But we have to consider how we keep the UK’s energy system resilient when renewable sources aren’t generating power.

“Many would expect that a storm would result in the UK generating more of its energy from wind turbines, but unfortunately that’s not the case. If the wind becomes too strong, turbines can reach their ‘cut-off point’ and stop generating energy. In addition, in October, curtailment cost the UK over 1TWh of potential wind generation.

“I’m proud that Rough was able to provide energy for millions of homes during November. There will always be a need to dial up our energy supply when the weather is poor and unpredictable. That’s why it’s so important we get a model that allows us to redevelop and expand Rough into the world’s largest hydrogen storage facility. Rough is a key piece of the UK’s energy resilience, a national safety net, and we have to make sure it can be there for consumers in the years ahead.”

Centrica has offered to invest £2bn in upgrading and redeveloping the Rough gas storage facility to be the world’s largest hydrogen storage facility. The site requires significant investment to enable it to store hydrogen. To unlock the £2bn investment in the facility, Centrica requires a cap and floor model for the asset, similar to the model used for other forms of long-duration energy storage. A recent report from Centrica and FTI suggested that Rough could save consumers £1bn a year by 2050 if converted to hydrogen storage.