Terna: march electricity consumption at pre-covid levels

Monthly demand at 26.7 billion kWh: +0.6% compared to 2019 and +11,8% compared to 2020

TERNA: MARCH ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION AT PRE-COVID LEVELS

Industrial consumption continues to recover: positive data for steel, food and non-ferrous metals

Renewables covered 35.1% of demand: growth recorded for in wind,

photovoltaic and hydroelectric production

At Easter more than half of the energy demand was covered by clean sources

Rome, 19 April 2021 - In March, electricity consumption in Italy returned to 2019 levels. Terna, the Italian national transmission grid operator, reported a demand for electricity of 26.7 billion kWh, up 0.6% compared to March 2019 and 11.8% compared to March 2020, a year that was heavily influenced by a drop in demand due to the initiatives put in place to contain the covid-19 pandemic. Renewable sources covered 35.1% of consumption, a value that is broadly in line with 2020 and up on 2019 (33.4%). Moreover, industrial consumption continues to recover: the IMCEI index monitored by Terna, which has become part of the National Statistical Plan, has also returned to pre-crisis levels, recording positive performance in the steel, food and non-ferrous metals sectors.

In view of the anomalous values recorded from March 2020 onwards, Terna deemed it appropriate to conduct an additional statistical analysis using 2019 as a benchmark. Extending the analysis to the first quarter of 2021, the comparison with the same quarter of 2019 shows a decline of -2.1%, or -1.3% in adjusted terms.

Analysing the March data in detail, this year March had one more working day (23 vs 22) and an average monthly temperature 1°C lower than March 2020. When adjusted for seasonal, temperature and calendar effects, the figure represents a +11.2% variation. Nationally, the March 2018 trend was also positive across the country: +13.8% in the North, +10.6% in Central Italy and +8.3% in the South. The data, adjusted for seasonal, calendar and temperature effects, were substantially in line with the previous month (February).

In March 2015, electricity demand was met for approximately 84% by national production and the remainder (16%) by the balance of electricity exchanged with foreign countries. More in detail, net national production (22.6 billion kWh) increased by +12% compared to March 2020. There was growth in photovoltaic (+19.5%), thermoelectric (+12.5%), hydroelectric (+11%) and wind (+5.6%) energy production. Only geothermal production declined (-4.6%).

Terna's IMCEI index - which directly examines and monitors the industrial consumption of about 530 large energy consumers connected to the Italian electricity transmission grid (large industries in

the following sectors: cement, lime and gypsum, steel, chemical, engineering, transportation, food, paper, ceramics and glass and non-ferrous metals) - confirms the substantial return of industrial consumption to pre-covid levels: the index is in fact up 37.7% compared to March 2020 and +0.1% compared to March 2019. There was also an increase of 2.3% compared to the previous month. The steel, food and non-ferrous metals sectors grew. In contrast, the chemicals, transportation and paper industries declined. Basically stable mechanics and building materials.

Over the Easter holiday period, taking into account the days from Saturday 3 to Monday 5 April, renewable sources covered more than half of Italy's electricity demand: in fact, the percentage recorded by Terna was 51.5% (a value that rises to 55.3% if adjusted to overall national production), an increase of 50.1% and 49.6% compared to 2020 and 2019 respectively. In particular, on Easter Sunday (4 April) 57.1% of the country's energy requirements were met by renewables.

A detailed analysis of provisional 2020 monthly electricity demand is available in the publication "Monthly Report on the Electricity System", under the section "Electric System >> Dispatching >> Operating Data" at www.terna.it.

Real-time data on the operation of the national electricity system can also be found on the Terna app, available on all app stores:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.terna.energia&hl=it

https://apps.apple.com/it/app/terna/id1458535498