Liz Truss faces questions over gas plant shutdown as energy storage 'decimated'

Labour has asked the Conservative management favorite to explain if she was involved in the decision to close the Rough natural gas storage facility in 2017

The Rough gas storage facility off the coast of Yorkshire has been closed for safety reasons (

Image: Centrica)

Liz Truss is facing calls to explain whether she approved the closure of a natural gas storage facility in the North Sea - a move which opponents say has 'decimated' UK stocks before the current crisis.

The Rough facility off the coast of East Yorkshire is set to reopen in weeks in a desperate effort to replenish gas supplies as energy prices soar.

Labour today asked the Conservative leadership favorite to explain whether she played a role in its 2017 shutdown.

Energy company Centrica announced the closure of the facility on June 20, 2017, just over a week after Ms Truss took over as Chief Secretary of the Treasury. Her allies say she was not involved.

At the time, the company told the government that safety issues at the plant made it impossible to continue operations, and later that year MPs were told that was not the case. "not a decision of ministers".

Ms. Truss took office on June 11, 2017, and the closure was announced by Centrica nine days later.

Liz Truss has come under fire from Labor over UK gas reserves

It is believed to have contained enough gas to supply the UK's winter power demand for 10 days, compared to reserves of 230 days in Austria, 103 in the Netherlands and 75 in Italy.

Today Shadow Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: 'We are facing an energy crisis because of 12 years of Conservative failure on energy security - on renewables, storage, insulation and market regulation.

"Liz Truss urgently needs to explain what her involvement was in the closure of the Rough gas storage facility and the UK's plunge to near-zero storage stocks.

“The decision shows a blatant disregard on the part of this government to protect our energy supply and reduce bills.”

In a statement, the Labor Party said: "All other European countries have filled their storage over the summer to prepare for the critical winter ahead, but Tory decisions over the past 12 years have left us in insecurity and families exposed to...