Ofgem Implements Plan to Preserve UK Gas Pipelines
Ofgem is preserving underused underwater gas pipelines to ensure energy security, funding the maintenance through a small annual charge to UK consumers.
The U.K. energy regulator Ofgem has implemented a plan to preserve underused underwater gas pipelines connecting the United Kingdom to continental Europe. The initiative aims to ensure energy security during emergencies or periods of high demand, such as severe winters, following market volatility caused by conflicts in the Middle East and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
To fund the maintenance of these pipelines, network operator National Gas will recover costs by charging consumers an additional 1.19 pounds annually for five years. Ofgem noted that diminished commercial incentives and technical capacity reductions have weakened the country's gas import capabilities in recent years.
In a parallel effort to bolster energy security, the Government of the United Kingdom approved the Jackdaw gas field on Wednesday. The country currently relies on liquefied natural gas shipments, Norway, and the North Sea for its energy needs.
