Original title: "fuel shortage" continues to rise in natural gas prices! European countries sound the alarm of energy crisis source: CCTV news client

Recently, a series of abnormal phenomena in European energy markets have sounded the alarm of the energy crisis. In the UK, London and other places, many gas stations are still "out of gas", and the "fuel shortage" caused by the lack of truck drivers is still severe.

As for natural gas, European natural gas futures prices soared 22%, reaching a new high in more than a decade. In addition to natural gas, electricity prices continue to rise in some European countries, with electricity prices in Germany and Spain reaching three or four times the average of the past two years in September.

8 million Britons have been unable to buy the necessities of life in the past two weeks

In the UK, recently, the impact of fuel shortages and labour shortages caused by the lack of truck drivers has also spread to the supply of necessities of life.

About 1/6 of Britain's population, or about 8 million people, have been unable to buy necessities in the past two weeks, according to the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics on the 8th. Nearly 1/4 of Britons said that non-essential items are also very difficult to buy.

At present, Britain is affected by the "Brexit" crisis and the COVID-19 epidemic, resulting in a serious labor shortage and a large number of daily necessities cut off in supermarkets. According to statistics, there were 1 million job openings in the UK between June and August.

In August, some restaurants, bars and supermarkets had to close some stores because of manpower shortages, fewer truck drivers and undelivered ingredients.

British National Power Company: increased risk of power outages this winter

To make matters worse, Britain also faces a power supply crisis. On the 7th, the Guardian quoted the British National Power Company as saying that the risk of power outages in British factories and households has increased this winter. Although the power system has sufficient reserves, the situation is worse than predicted in July, partly due to a fire on an undersea high-voltage cable that imports electricity from France, the report said.

It is expected that the power supply through the cable will be restored by up to half by March next year. The Guardian also reported that 12 power suppliers have closed down since the beginning of this year, and more are expected to be desperate by the end of the year.

Recently, due to the emergence of energy shortages, the price of natural gas in the UK has hit an all-time high. Energy prices in the UK will rise "sharply" again next spring, the UK energy regulator warned on the 8th. At the same time, some energy companies have accused the British government of "strangling" energy companies.

European regional natural gas stocks are the lowest in more than a decade

In addition to the UK, EU natural gas prices have also risen for several months in a row, and recent natural gas contracts have hit a new high in Europe, with futures prices soaring 22%, a new high in more than a decade.

According to the European Natural Gas Infrastructure Association, at present, European regional natural gas stocks are only 74.7% of the full load level, the lowest level in more than a decade, and winter energy reserves need to be replenished.

Russia: gradually increasing natural gas supply to Europe

According to Russian media reports, the general manager of Gazprom said on the 7th that Gazprom is gradually increasing its natural gas supply to Europe through all pipelines. She said that Gazprom supplied 145.8 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe in the first nine months of this year, an increase of 15 per cent over the same period last year.

With the rising natural gas prices in Europe and the imminent beginning of the winter heating period, the "Nord Stream-2" pipeline project, which delivers natural gas from Russia to Europe, also has a rare opportunity to open.

On October 4, Beixi-2 Co., Ltd., the operator of Beixi-2, announced that it had begun to inject natural gas into the Beixi-2 natural gas pipeline.