Centrica Gets Consent Extension for UK’s Largest Gas Storage Facility

Rough platform (Credit: Centrica Offshore UK)

The North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) has agreed to extend Centrica Offshore UK’s consent to operate the Rough gas storage site, off the east coast of England in the Southern North Sea.

The extension runs until April 30, 2026, and enables Rough to continue to support the U.K.’s energy security.

Centrica Offshore UK, through its Centrica Energy Storage+ (CES+), operates the Rough gas storage facility and the Easington onshore gas processing terminal in East Yorkshire, having restarted storage operations at Rough in 2022.

Rough provides half of the U.K.'s gas storage, being able to store 54 bcf of gas - enough to provide the equivalent volume of gas to heat 2.4 million homes over winter.

Centrica’s long-term aim is to turn Rough into the largest long duration energy storage facility in Europe, capable of storing both natural gas and hydrogen with the goal of bolstering the U.K.’s energy security.