Electricity consumption grows three per cent in March, production falls a tenth

Electricity consumption grew in March this year by three per cent compared with the same period last year to 771 gigawatt-hours. However, cheaper electricity imports from the Nordic States resulted in a decline of ten per cent in Estonian electricity production.

Consumption was affected by the average air temperature, which this March was two degrees cooler than a year ago.

Domestic electricity production totalled 672 gigawatt-hours in March. There was a deficit of 98 gigawatt-hours in the Estonian electricity balance, and electricity imports occurred for 75 per cent of the hours in March. Estonian electricity producers met 87 per cent of domestic electricity consumption. Transit flows passing through the electricity system grew by 14 per cent year-on-year to 455 gigawatt-hours.

The 107 gigawatt-hours of electricity produced from renewable sources was 28 per cent lower than the same period last year. Most of the fall (52 per cent) was as a result of lower production by wind power plants due to poor wind conditions. Renewable energy covered 13 per cent of domestic electricity consumption needs in March.

In the Baltic States as a whole, electricity production fell by a tenth and consumption by one per cent in March year-on-year. The combined deficit in the Baltic States increased by 23 per cent to 796 gigawatt-hours, making up 36 per cent of consumption in the three countries.

Latvian electricity production decreased by five per cent in comparison with March last year, reaching a total of 578 gigawatt-hours. Electricity consumption in Latvia rose by two per cent to 640 gigawatt-hours, and the monthly electricity balance deficit totalled 62 gigawatt-hours. Latvian electricity producers covered 90 per cent of domestic consumption requirements.

With the addition of the NordBalt interconnection, electricity production in Lithuania fell by more than a quarter to 181 gigawatt-hours, with electricity consumption falling six per cent to 816 gigawatt-hours. The Lithuanian electricity balance deficit grew two per cent to 635 gigawatt-hours. The share of local power plants in covering domestic consumption was 22 per cent.

Gross electricity production in the Nordic States grew at a rate of four per cent in March year-on-year and total consumption by two per cent. There was a surplus of 1494 gigawatt-hours in the March electricity balance in the Nordic States. In general, Sweden and Norway were electricity exporting and Denmark and Finland electricity importing systems.