Electricity Imports From Nordic Countries Reduce July Domestic Electricity Production Too

In July, domestic electricity production decreased year-on-year by 38 per cent, reaching 570 gigawatt-hours, due to cheaper electricity received from the Nordic countries.

The low electricity price in the Nordic countries is caused by the continually good availability of hydro resources.

In July, domestic electricity consumption increased by one per cent compared to the same time last year, reaching 573 gigawatt-hours.

Though the amount of electricity produced from renewable resources fell by five per cent year-on-year, 39 per cent more electricity was produced from wind energy. Wind conditions have been very favourable this year – according to the Estonian Weather Service, the average daily wind speed at the Pakri and Virtsu measuring stations was more than twice the speed of last July. Similarly to June, electricity produced from renewable sources accounted for 13 per cent of domestic consumption in July.

472 gigawatt-hours of transit flows passed through the Estonian transmission system in July, over double the flow at the same time last year. This is possible due to adequate transmission capacity between Estonia and Finland.

In Latvia, consumption decreased by three per cent, reaching 538 gigawatt-hours, with production also increasing by three per cent, totalling 304 gigawatt-hours year-on-year. Latvian electricity producers covered 56 per cent of domestic consumption, while the balance was imported via Estonia’s electricity system. Similarly to Estonia, the amount of electricity produced from wind energy increased significantly, by 49 per cent.

In Lithuania, consumption decreased by five per cent, reaching 833 gigawatt-hours, and production decreased by ten per cent, totalling 303 gigawatt-hours. Electricity produced in Lithuania covered 33 per cent of domestic consumption, and the remainder was imported from Latvia and third countries.

In the Baltic States as a whole, electricity consumption decreased by three per cent, reaching 1944 gigawatt-hours, and electricity production decreased by 24 per cent, reaching 1177 gigawatt-hours in July. The gross deficit in July totalled 39 per cent of electricity consumption in the three countries.

In the Nordic countries, consumption increased by three per cent in comparison to last year, reaching 25.7 terawatt-hours, and gross electricity production increased by five per cent, reaching 27.9 terawatt-hours. In comparison to last year, electricity production was higher in Sweden and Finland, where production was boosted mainly by virtue of hydro-energy.

A full overview of the electricity system for July is available here.