British Gas owner Centrica PLC said it has secured additional import capacity at National Grid's Isle of Grain liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kent from winter 2010/11.

The company has acquired the rights to import an additional annual volume of 2.4 billion cubic meters (bcm) per year over 19 years at the terminal in the third phase, building on its second phase capacity of 3.4 bcm per year over 20 years from winter 2008/9.

Centrica said the investment, which could see supplies arriving from an increasingly diverse range of international sources including the Middle East and Africa, will play a key role in securing the 310 million stg third phase expansion of the terminal, with nearly 30 percent of capacity earmarked to supply British Gas customers.

"LNG will play an increasingly important role in meeting the UK's gas needs," said group chief executive Sam Laidlaw.

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Related Project
Grain LNG
Facility Type: LNG Owner: National Grid
Scope: New Construction Location: Isle of Grain United Kingdom