# Ofgem Secures UK-Belgium Gas Pipeline Capacity Ahead of Winter

> The UK energy regulator approved an agreement to prevent a significant cut in gas import capacity through the Zeebrugge–Bacton interconnector, bolstering Britain's energy security for the upcoming winter.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-25T12:28:04.485497Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/ofgem-secures-uk-belgium-gas-pipeline-capacity-ahead-of-winter-5ae263bb

On October 22, 2026, the UK energy regulator Ofgem approved an agreement between Interconnector Limited (INT) and National Gas Transmission (National Gas) to prevent a planned reduction in gas import capacity through the Zeebrugge–Bacton interconnector, maintaining critical supply levels for Britain [1][2][5][6]. This decision ensures that Great Britain's gas import capacity will be reinstated to Winter 2025/26 levels for the upcoming winter period, averting a significant drop that would have seen capacity fall from 73 mcm/day to 36 mcm/day by October 1, 2026 [1][2].

This regulatory action directly addresses concerns about Britain's winter gas supply and bolsters the nation's energy security, providing an essential safeguard against high-demand scenarios such as severe winter weather [1][4][5][6]. While the UK's gas system is considered reliable under normal conditions, the maintained capacity acts as an insurance policy, ensuring flexibility and resilience in challenging situations [3][4][5][7]. Domestic gas customers will bear a small cost for this security, estimated at less than 10 pence per month over five years [6][8].

## What the records show
Ofgem's approval on October 22, 2026, cemented an agreement to maintain gas import capacity via the UK-Belgium pipeline, known as the Zeebrugge–Bacton interconnector [1][2][3]. Interconnector Limited operates this pipeline, which connects Great Britain to gas markets in Belgium and allows gas to flow in either direction [5][6][8]. The accord prevents a scheduled decrease in the pipeline's import capacity, which had been set to drop from 73 million cubic meters per day (mcm/day) to 61 mcm/day from November 4, 2025, and further to 36 mcm/day from October 1, 2026 [2]. Under the new terms, Interconnector Limited will restore Great Britain's import capacity to the Winter 2025/26 levels for the winter of October 2026 to March 2027 [1]. The initial capacity reductions were attributed to increasing operational and maintenance costs, alongside reduced commercial incentives for imports into Britain [2][5][8].

## Regulatory oversight and costs
Concurrently with the agreement's approval, Ofgem initiated a statutory consultation on proposed modifications to National Gas's Gas Transporter Licence and related financial instruments [1][2][3][5]. This consultation, open until November 20, 2026, aims to establish mechanisms allowing National Gas to recover the costs associated with preserving this increased import capability [1][3][5][6]. The regulator estimates the financial impact on domestic gas customers to be less than 10 pence per month over five years, translating to approximately £1.19 annually, exclusively affecting gas consumers [6][8].

## Official statements
Jack Presley Abbott, Director of Energy Systems Management and Security at Ofgem, stated that "Maintaining these important gas links is important as longer-term changes to the energy system continue" [2][3][4][5]. He added, "We have approved the agreement needed to maintain this important capability, and, as such, are consulting on the proposed regulatory mechanism for recovering its costs" [2][3][4][5]. Glenn Bryn-Jacobsen, Director of Energy Systems and Resilience at National Gas, highlighted that "Maintaining import capability through the continental interconnectors has been identified as an important action to strengthen resilience by enhancing the ability of the gas system to respond to more challenging situations in the very unlikely event that they arise" [4]. National Gas, which facilitated the agreement as the Gas System Operator, welcomed the consultation as a step toward strengthening Britain's energy resilience and supporting security of supply [1].

## What we could not confirm
The exact total cost of maintaining the increased import capability was not publicly specified, only the per-customer estimate [8]. The specific "longer-term changes to the energy system" that necessitate maintaining these gas links were not detailed [2][3][4][5].

## Evidence cited
1. National Gas welcomes Ofgem consultation on interconnector arrangements (nationalgas.com) — https://www.nationalgas.com/news-views/national-gas-welcomes-ofgem-consultation-interconnector-arrangements
2. Ofgem Approves Agreement to Maintain UK–Belgium Gas Pipeline Capacity and Consults on New Regulatory Mechanisms to Bolster Britain’s Winter Gas Supply amidst Energy Security Fears - Global Banking & Finance Review (globalbankingandfinance.com) — https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/ofgem-approves-agreement-to-maintain-uk-belgium-gas-pipeline-capacity-and-consults-on-new-regulatory-mechanisms-to-bolster-britains-winter-gas-supply-amidst-energy-security-fears/
3. UPDATE 1-Ofgem approves deal to maintain UK-Belgium gas pipeline import capacity | Euronext (euronext.com) — https://www.euronext.com/en/node/3956463
4. Ofgem Approves Agreement To Maintain UK-Belgium Gas Pipeline Capacity | OilPrice.com (oilprice.com) — https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/Gasoline-Prices/Ofgem-Approves-Agreement-To-Maintain-UK-Belgium-Gas-Pipeline-Capacity.html
5. Ofgem approves agreement to maintain UK-Belgium gas pipeline capacity and consults on new regulatory mechanisms to bolster Britain's winter gas supply amidst energy security fears (wired-gov.net) — https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/%28allitemsbycategory%29/OFGEM%20APPROVES%20AGREEMENT%20TO%20MAINTAIN%20UK-BELGIUM%20GAS%20PIPELINE%20CAPACITY%20AND%20CONSULTS%20ON%20NEW%20REGULATORY%20MECHANISMS%20TO%20BOLSTER%20BRITAIN'S%20WINTER%20GAS%20SUPPLY%20AMIDST%20ENERGY%20SECURITY%20FEARS
6. Ofgem approves deal to maintain UK–Belgium gas pipeline import capacity | Pipeline & Gas Journal (pgjonline.com) — https://pgjonline.com/news/2026/october/ofgem-approves-deal-to-maintain-uk-belgium-gas-pipeline-import-capacity
7. Ofgem approves deal to preserve gas import capacity from Belgium to Britain - ExPro (expro.com.ua) — https://expro.com.ua/en/posts/ofgem-approves-deal-to-preserve-gas-import-capacity-from-belgium-to-britain
8. Ofgem approves Interconnector gas import capacity deal (voltgridnews.com) — https://www.voltgridnews.com/news/ofgem-interconnector-gas-import-capacity
9. INT to reinstate GB Import capacity (fluxys.com) — https://www.fluxys.com/en/company/news/2026/int-to-reinstate-gb-import-capacity
10. OFGEM APPROVES AGREEMENT TO MAINTAIN UK-BELGIUM GAS PIPELINE CAPACITY AND CONSULTS ON NEW REGULATORY MECHANISMS TO BOLSTER BRITAIN'S WINTER GAS SUPPLY AMIDST ENERGY SECURITY (wired-gov.net) — https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/%28allitemsbycategory%29/OFGEM%20APPROVES%20AGREEMENT%20TO%20MAINTAIN%20UK-BELGIUM%20GAS%20PIPELINE%20CAPACITY%20AND%20CONSULTS%20ON%20NEW%20REGULATORY%20MECHANISMS%20TO%20BOLSTER%20BRITAIN'S%20WINTER%20GAS%20SUPPLY%20AMIDST%20ENERGY%20SECURITY