What is the National Grid?
The National Grid owns and operates the enormous system of pipes that transports gas around Britain, known as the National Transmission Systems.
The £13.8 billion ($19.1 billion) network comprises over 4,400 miles (7,000 km) of high-pressure pipe and more than 600 above-ground installations.
Its job is to balance supply and demand of gas across the country, but does not sell the fuel itself.
Instead, the gas is sold to home and business owners by supplier such as British Gas, NPower and EDF energy.
Is it possible to run out of gas?
The UK’s gas reserves are filled by its power stations as well as import pipelines from Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium.
To run out of gas, Britain simply has to cross the so-called ‘margin’ – the difference between peak demand and available supply from these sources.
If it gets too low, National Grid can issue warnings to generators to begin producing more electricity to prevent a shortfall developing.
But if these warnings do not work and the margin between supply and demand reaches zero, then parts of the country could experience blackouts.
What are the chances of running out of gas in the UK?
As North Sea oil resources dwindle and the UK becomes increasingly reliant on gas imports, the country’s chances of running out of gas will rise.
It is unlikely that this will affect homeowners in the near future, as the National Grid will limit industrial use before its shortages hit the UK public.
The Grid can also import more gas to top up reserves.
The UK would only run out if it stopped – or was prevented from – importing any oil, gas or coal.
Disaster could strike if a key gas pipeline were to burst, or if some nations stopped trading the fuel with Britain.
Will it actually happen?
According to the National Grid’s forecast, there is a shortfall of around 50 million cubic metres this week.
During the shortage, household supplies are not expected to be affected.
Shortages could hit industrial users as the Grid attempts to balance supply and demand into Friday.
It plans to do this by limiting industrial use and buying in more gas if necessary.