Estonia’s electricity consumption grew by 4% in the year.

Electricity consumption in Estonia is rising, and at 8.01 TWh, total consumption is 4% higher than it was in 2009. In the Baltic region as a whole, consumption has increased by 7%.

Electricity consumption has recovered quickly after the recession. While consumption by large consumers fell in the first half of 2010, it increased from May onwards, as did consumption by small consumers. Record low temperatures in December also pushed consumption up to its highest ever level of 855 GWh.

In 2010 the main focus in the energy industry will be on exports. In 2009 production levels in Estonia were quite similar to consumption levels, but in 2010 production was a notable 11.3 TWh higher than domestic consumption. The quantities of electricity produced in Estonia were 47% higher than a year previously.

The largest share, 43%, of exports went to Finland, while 32% went to Latvia and 25% to Lithuania.

Following the closure of the Ignalina nuclear power plant, the Baltic region as a whole needs to import electricity. Electricity coming from non-EU countries accounted for 14% of the total consumption in the Baltic States in 2010. The vast majority of this electricity is imported to Lithuania, where nearly 80% of the shortfall of 6 TWh was bought from Russia and Belarus. In total, electricity purchased from outside the EU supplied 51% of consumption in Lithuania.

Latvia finished the year with a small overall shortfall, and 78% of the missing electricity was purchased through Estonia using bilateral agreements and the Estonia price area of the NPS power exchange. The rest of the electricity required to cover the Latvian shortfall was imported from Lithuania.

Neither Estonia nor Latvia bought electricity from non-EU countries, which was possible because of increased production levels and the functioning electricity market.