Europe's daily liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports slumped to an 18-month low in late June 2026, despite record heat and an urgent need to replenish depleted underground gas storage, Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) data showed.

LNG volumes delivered from European terminals to the EU gas transmission grid have fallen 20% year on year since early June, with daily inflows sinking to a trough of only 275 million cubic meters on June 21.

Europe is suffering an extreme heatwave this summer, spiking power demand for air conditioning and cooling equipment. Gas remains a core generation fuel alongside nuclear, wind and solar assets.

Heightened competition with Asia for available LNG cargoes, driven by Middle East tensions, pushed global fuel prices higher this summer. Gazprom warned European underground gas storage (UGS) inventories may fail to reach even 70%