Gas scare stories leave readers in the dark

"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story." It's an old, if irreverent, adage in journalism, which parts of the national media took to heart in their coverage of the gas markets this week. It began with warnings that Britain has only two days' worth of gas left in reserve - which is correct, as far as it goes, but ignores the fact that the country has taken a strategic decision not to rely on gas storage. This is because of its proximity to the North Sea - the mother of all gas storage fields, you might say. Comparisons with other European nations, which can't rely on the North Sea and have built vast gas reserves over decades, are therefore irrelevant and misleading. There's a valid argument that Britain should increase its gas storage over coming years as its energy mix changes, but that doesn't equate to any risk of the lights going out under the current arrangements.

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