Lack of gas storage puts UK’s energy security at risk

Without energy there is no economy; without energy security there can be no national security. When governments think about national security, they plan for threats before they materialise, investing in capabilities we may not need daily but which become critical when a crisis hits. Energy security deserves the same approach.

In the last five years, security crises in Ukraine and the Middle East have triggered damaging energy shocks, disrupting gas supplies and putting pressure on global energy markets. International co-operation cannot always be relied upon to find a solution. Every country will put the security of its own citizens first.

In the UK, our interconnectors move electricity and gas to and from mainland Europe and Ireland and are an important part of our energy system, but they are not a substitute for homegrown energy security. During this summer’s heatwaves, our system operator, Neso, restricted electricity exports to Europe to balance the UK’s electricity system.

Norway’s recent comments about its role as Europe’s “green battery” were a reminder that Britain needs the capacity to withstand shocks when others are facing them, too. As North Sea production has declined by 70 per cent, reliance on imports has grown. Yet our gas storage lags behind Germany, France and the Netherlands, which have around ten times more capacity than the UK.

This winter will be more concerning. EU gas stocks are at the lowest levels since records began, increasing exposure to supply shocks and price volatility. The UK is even more exposed. As one of Europe’s biggest gas consumers, but with some of its lowest storage capacity, we rely on expensive imported gas to heat homes and keep the lights on.

Rough, in the North Sea, is the UK’s only large-scale gas storage facility. Yet it is practically empty, as markets currently do not make it financially viable. Storage is an insurance policy against supply disruption and price spikes. But if the government chooses not to include Rough in its existing regulatory support model, it will remain empty over the winter and close by the spring, losing hundreds of unionised, well-paid jobs.

The government’s interim consultation on the future of gas accepts that the market is unlikely to support storage on a purely commercial basis. But we need action now. With the right framework, we can invest £2 billion to preserve one of the UK’s most important energy resilience assets. This is not simply a commercial decision for Centrica; it is a strategic decision for the country. But we are running out of time.

This article was written for and published in The Times on Wednesday 2 September 2026