Estonia’s Electricity Output Drops Nine Percent in Q2

The amount of electricity generated in Estonia in the second quarter fell by nine percent compared to the same time last year, to 2305 GWh. Q2 saw an abundance of generation capacity with low operational costs in the North Baltic region, and the electricity produced using that capacity has been reaching the Estonian consumers to the maximum extent made possible by Estonia’s connections with the Nordics.

At the same time, domestic electricity consumption for the second quarter grew by 2 percent compared to the same period last year, to 1786 GWh. The growth in electricity consumption was driven by increased demand in April and June, caused by lower temperatures.

Despite the decrease in output and the growth in consumption, generation exceeded usage by 29 percent in Q2.

In Latvia, Q2 energy output dropped by seven percent year-on-year to 1671 GWh, due to both a decrease in hydro power generation and the availability of cheap electricity imports. Latvia, like Estonia, had an exporting power system, although its balance surplus was nearly three times smaller than the same period last year.

Lithuania experienced the biggest output drop in the Baltics in the second quarter, driven primarily by the availability of low-priced energy imports. Its generation decreased by 16 percent to a total of 569 GWh. Electricity output in Lithuania has fallen to the lowest point in years, and in order to cover consumption, Lithuania imported nearly 75% of its required electricity in the second quarter.

In conclusion, Q2 electricity generation in the Baltics fell by nine percent compared to last year, producing a deficit of 1132 GWh, or 20% of the combined consumption of the Baltic States.

In Finland, thermal power plant output fell the most during the second quarter, while hydro generation grew, resulting in 28% of Finland’s total energy output coming from hydro power.

The total export of Estonia’s energy trading network decreased by six percent in the second quarter compared to a year ago, with 48% of exports going to Latvia, 45% to Lithuania and 7% to Finland. Exports to Finland decreased considerably, while exports to Latvia and Lithuania grew at the same time. This change is due to the fact that in Q2 of last year, the average price in the NPS Finnish price area was nearly seven euros per MWh higher than in the Estonian price area, while this year it was an average of two euros lower.

Out of the total Q2 imports in the Estonian energy trading network, Finnish imports accounted for 62%, while Latvian imports came to 30% and Lithuanian imports to 7%.

The full Q2 report on the electricity network is available here (only in Estonian).