IUK
Belgium-to-GB gas pipeline; dropping to 36 mcm/d in October 2026, cutting GB Continental imports to 12%.
Last refreshed: 27 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
When does Interconnector UK's capacity drop to 36 mcm/d and what does it mean for GB?
Timeline for IUK
Scheduled to reduce capacity to 36 mcm/d from 1 October 2026
European Energy Markets: BBL halved, IUK drops in October: GB-Continent link cut- What is Interconnector UK and when does its capacity drop?
- Interconnector UK (IUK) is a 235 km bi-directional gas pipeline between Bacton (Norfolk) and Zeebrugge (Belgium), operated by a Fluxys-led consortium. Its capacity drops from 61 mcm/d to 36 mcm/d from 1 October 2026, the start of the 2026-27 heating season.Source: event
- How much does the IUK capacity cut reduce GB gas imports?
- Combined with BBL's December 2024 halving, IUK's October 2026 cut reduces total BBL+IUK winter capacity to 58 mcm/d and GB's Continental import share from 17% of demand to 12%.Source: Lowdown
- Why is the IUK pipeline capacity being reduced?
- The capacity reductions reflect commercial and technical decisions by the Fluxys-led consortium operating IUK. The timing of the October 2026 cut ahead of winter, combined with BBL's earlier halving, significantly reduces GB's Continental gas import flexibility.Source: Lowdown
Background
Interconnector UK (IUK) is a 235 km bi-directional subsea gas pipeline connecting Bacton in Norfolk, UK to Zeebrugge in Belgium. Operated by Interconnector (UK) Ltd, a Fluxys-led consortium, it is the longer-established of the two main GB-Continent gas linkages (alongside BBL). IUK flow direction is primarily from Belgium to GB in winter and reversed in summer when GB exports surplus to the Continent.
IUK was reduced from its previous capacity to 61 mcm/d in November 2025, and is scheduled for a further cut to 36 mcm/d from 1 October 2026 — arriving immediately before the 2026-27 heating season. Combined with BBL's December 2024 halving, the two pipelines' winter import capacity will fall to 58 mcm/d total, reducing GB's Continental import share from 17% of demand to 12%.
IUK's October 2026 reduction arrives precisely as Dutch storage sits at decade-low levels and EU LNG terminals remain below seasonal norms. The timing concentrates import risk: GB will be entering its highest-demand period with its Continental fallback materially smaller than in any recent winter.
