REN Redes Energeticas Nacionais : Consumption of natural gas increases 17.3% in April

03.05.2019

Domestic consumption of natural gas grew 17.3% year-on-year in April. This growth reflects the increase in the power production segment, stemming from very unfavourable hydrological conditions in comparison with the same month in the previous year.

From January to April, natural gas consumption fell by 2.0%, as a result of a 13.2% contraction in the electricity market and a 1.7% growth in the conventional market.

Electricity consumption, on the other hand, recorded a negative year-on-year variation of 3% in April, or a negative 2% when correcting for temperature and working days. From the beginning of the year until April, the accumulated consumption for the year recorded a year-on-year drop of 3.4%, or 1.7% when correcting for the effects of temperature and number of working days.

Inflows remained below the average figures for April, although conditions had improved compared to recent months. The hydropower capability index was 0.82 (historical average of 1). Conditions were also unfavourable in wind generation, with the corresponding capability index standing at 1.13 (historical average of 1). In April, renewable production fuelled 55% of national consumption, non-renewable production accounted for 37%, while the remaining 8% were supplied using imported energy.

The hydropower capability index for the period from January to April was 0.58 (historical average of 1), while the wind-power capability index recorded 0.93 (historical average of 1). In the same period, renewable generation supplied 51% of consumption, broken down into wind power with 27%, hydroelectric with 18%, biomass with 5% and photovoltaic with 1.8%. Non-renewable production supplied 37% of consumption, with natural gas accounting for 21% and coal for 16%. The balance of trade, which has almost always favoured imports, supplied around 11% of consumption.