Centrica signs deal with Equinor for additional winter gas supplies

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's Centrica has signed an agreement with Norway's Equinor for additional gas supplies, it said on Thursday, helping bolster supply for the winter months.

Many countries across Europe are seeking to secure additional gas from other sources as they try to reduce reliance on Russian fuel imports.

British Gas owner Centrica said Equinor would deliver an additional 1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas supplies to the company that will help heat an additional 4.5 million homes over the next three winters.

Although Russia only meets about 4% of Britain's gas needs, a significant disruption in supply would affect prices in Europe and make it harder for Britain to secure gas from others.

“This major supply deal agreed today will help underpin British energy security over the next few years,” Britain's Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said in a statement.

The new deal takes Centrica's total supply deal with Equinor to over 10 bcm a year, around 12% of Britain's total gas demand.

(Reporting by Susanna Twidale in London and Shanima A in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Mark Potter)