Gas system balanced – DMR

The gas system has opened balanced this morning, according to npower’s daily market report. That’s due to lower exports to the continent and a reduction in storage injection nominations. Langeled […]

The gas system has opened balanced this morning, according to npower’s daily market report.

That’s due to lower exports to the continent and a reduction in storage injection nominations.

Langeled flows are a touch lower this morning at 30mcm as a result of flows being diverted to the continent. Dutch flows through the Balgzand Bacton Line remain at zero.

LNG send-out is nominated at 31mcm from the South Hook. This is expected to rise next week when three cargoes are due to arrive into the UK.

Gemma Bruce from npower’s optimisation desk said: “There are a number of outages scheduled for the end of August which may result in some changes to the flows received into the UK.”

The maintenance to Norwegian gas plant Kollsnes is scheduled from 17th August which is expected to see Langeled flows decrease towards the 20mcm level.

Ms Bruce added: “However, towards the end of the month, there is also maintenance work planned on a German pipeline which could see Norwegian flows diverted to the UK.”

 

There is little change to the generation mix in the power system.

Ms Bruce said: “Imports from the continent [are] at full capacity. Gas-fired generation is dominating the stack, followed by coal and nuclear [which are] on par whilst wind generation is poor.”

Wind forecasts for today are “reasonably healthy”, peaking close to 3GW, while current output is falling “massively short” at just 300MW.

This is resulting in higher CCGT generation to cover the shortfall and the peak forecast is still at just 10GW despite it being a Friday – when it normally increases.

Oil prices remain trading below $50 a barrel (£32/Bbl).

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