Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 6, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleItaly's Energy Minister confirms strong gas storage levels in Europe, with Italy nearing the EU's 90% target. Geopolitical tensions impact supply.
By Francesca Landini
CERNOBBIO, Italy (Reuters) -Gas storage levels in Europe are "good", Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Saturday, adding that his own country was close to the 90% target set by the European Union.
"We are relaxed about gas storage, certainly in Italy ... the level is also good in Europe, although slightly lower," Pichetto said on the sidelines of the TEHA Forum in Cernobbio.
High gas storage levels function as a buffer in case of unexpected peaks in demand during winter months.
The EU set gas storage targets after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered an energy crisis. Member states are meant to hit a 90% filling target at any point between October 1 and December 1.
However, Pichetto said Italy was not ready to dismantle coal-fired plants in continental Italy by year-end, as previously planned, singling out Enel plants in Civitavecchia and Brindisi.
"We have a war in Europe, we have very difficult situations in the Mediterranean, which are changing by the hour ... so I am not in a position to dismantle coal-fired power stations," said Pichetto, who had previously expressed doubts about the year-end deadline.
Gas supply across the Mediterranean has been affected by a reduction of shipping through the Suez Canal due to attacks by Yemen's Houthis, and by instability in Libya.
Asked whether Italy could increase imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) coming from the United States,
Pichetto said imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States were "convenient" at the moment, and any increase depended on price.
(Reporting by Francesca Landini; Editing by Valentina Za, Aidan Lewis)
Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin stated that gas storage levels in Europe are 'good,' with Italy close to the 90% target set by the EU.
High gas storage levels serve as a buffer against unexpected peaks in demand during the winter months.
Gas supply across the Mediterranean has been impacted by reduced shipping through the Suez Canal due to attacks by Yemen's Houthis and instability in Libya.
No, Minister Pichetto indicated that Italy is not ready to dismantle coal-fired plants by year-end due to ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Pichetto mentioned that imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States are currently 'convenient,' but any increase in imports would depend on pricing.
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