Electricity consumption increases ten per cent in February

In February, electricity consumption in Estonia increased by ten per cent to 828 gigawatt-hours due to the colder weather.

According to the Estonian Weather Service, the average air temperature in February this year was – 6.9 °C, which is 2.4 degrees lower than usual. It was especially cold in the latter third of the month, when the average air temperature was -13.2 °C.

In contrast, electricity production in February decreased – domestic production totalled 940 gigawatt-hours, or five per cent less year-on-year. Electricity generated from renewable sources fell by 17 per cent to 105 gigawatt-hours, and non-renewable electricity by four per cent to 835 gigawatt-hours. Production from wind energy fell by 35 per cent compared to February in the previous year, but hydropower production increased by a quarter.

Renewable energy covered 11.5 per cent of domestic consumption in February. Overall, production exceeded consumption by 112 gigawatt-hours during the month.

Trade imports of electricity grew year-on-year by 22 per cent to 228 gigawatt-hours. Trade exports of electricity fell in the same period by a fifth to a total of 337 gigawatt-hours. A total of 73 per cent of electricity imports came via the Estonia-Finland interconnections and 27 per cent from Latvia. A total of 72 per cent of electricity exports went to Latvia and 28 per cent to Finland. As of the end of the month, the net exports in Estonia’s electricity trade balance totalled 109 gigawatt-hours.

In Latvia, a fifth more electricity was generated than in February last year, and monthly production totalled 716 gigawatt-hours. In Lithuania, electricity production levels were 22 per cent higher year-on-year, totalling 251 gigawatt-hours. Electricity consumption increased by four per cent in Latvia to 645 gigawatt-hours and 21 per cent in Lithuania to one terawatt-hour.

In the Baltic States, electricity production increased by six per cent and consumption by 12 per cent. The monthly electricity deficit totalled 596 gigawatt-hours.

Based on data from the Nordic states of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, electricity production grew by eight per cent and consumption by six per cent in February. Production exceeded consumption by 1.26 terawatt-hours.