Natural Gas "Summer Fill Rate" -- September 4, 2014

On July 31, 2014, I posted:

It appears, that in round numbers, the industry needs to inject 100 billion cubic feet of natural gas into storage every week to meet this winter's expected demand. Don sent me the number for the most recent week: 88. That's the net change: previous week plus newly injected minus withdrawal. 

Today's number: 79.

Meanwhile, in merry olde England, the authorities have already forecast shortages of natural gas for this winter. IceAgeNow is reporting:

Power crunch worsens – Emergency measures introduced to prevent the lights going out this winter.

Offices and factories will be offered compensation to undergo 1970s-style energy rationing and shut down for up to four hours a day to prevent households being plunged into darkness.

Under the powers, businesses that sign up will be ‘bribed’ to shut down between 4pm and 8pm on any day between November and February.

In addition, ‘National Grid announced yesterday that it would begin recruiting out-of-action power plants (closed but not yet dismantled), which would be paid to ensure they could start up if needed as a “last resort”.   It had said in June that the emergency plan to boost power supplies would not be needed this year.’