* Market comfortable with LNG stocks available

 * Swiss-Italian Transitgas shutdown lowers export demand

 LONDON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - British gas prices eased early on
Wednesday due to confidence in liquefied natural gas (LNG)
supply and lower export demand to Europe via the UK-Belgium
Interconnector pipeline.

 Gas for Thursday fell 0.70 pence at 41.70 pence per therm at
1018 GMT compared with the previous session day-ahead prices,
while September dropped 0.60 pence at 37.50 pence ($5.78 per
mmbtu) and Winter 2010/11 slipped 0.50 pence at 46.50 pence.

 "It seems pretty bearish out there. I see healthy LNG as a
driver these days helping to balance the system," one gas trader
said.

 National Grid data showed that Norwegian flows via Langeled
were around 20 million cubic metres (mcm), compared with a
capacity of over 60 mcm, but low supply was offset by 30 mcm
supply from South Hook and 10 mcm from Dragon LNG terminals.

  National Grid showed LNG stocks remained around 722 mcm,
flat from the previous day, while another three tankers were due
to arrive by Sep. 5. [LNG/TKUS]

 Traders also said the delay in the restart of the
Swiss-Italian Transitgas until at least November was also
impacting forward contracts by reducing the need for gas export
to Continental Europe. [ID:nLDE67N1U0]

 The UK-Belgium Interconnector pipeline operator forecast
exports for Wednesday to fall to 37 mcm, compared with 48 mcm on
Tuesday, the website showed.

 In Britain's over-the-counter baseload power market, prompt
prices traded up slightly from the previous session, with supply
still tighter as a number of coal plants remained shut.

 Baseload power for delivery on Thursday was at 40.30 pounds
per megawatt-hour (MWh), up 45 pence on day-ahead contracts late
on Tuesday.

 National Grid data showed that Cottam, West Burton, Didcot,
and Kingsnorth plants were off, although Staythorpe was putting
power on the grid during its commissioning stage.

 The auction price on the N2EX power exchange for Thursday
baseload power was below the OTC market at 39.83 pounds/MWh.
 (Reporting by Kwok W. Wan; editing by Alison Birrane)

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