Gas supply is 'not under threat'
Updated on 08 January 2010
The Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has assured domestic gas customers there is no danger they could be cut off due to the cold weather.
A total of 27 British firms have been told to turn off their gas supply and switch to alternatives such as coal and oil because demand for gas has risen since the country was covered in snow.
The unnamed companies told to turn off their gas are all on 'interruptible' contracts which are cheaper than full contracts but carry the risk that they will be asked to cut down when demand is high.
But Mr Benn has assured customers there is plenty of gas available to heat homes and fuel our ovens and hobs.
He said: "We've got plenty of supplies, the gas storage is about 70 per cent full.
"These businesses will be on special contracts, they pay slightly less for their gas, but it means supplies might be reduced when there is a period of enormous demand.
"We have enormous gas storage in the North Sea, where about half of our gas supplies come from.
"It's supplemented by imports from other parts of Europe, and there's absolutely no need for any domestic customers to worry at all."