Power Consumption Increases Four Per Cent in May, Production Decreases 13 Per Cent

This May, domestic production increased by four per cent in a yearly calculation, reaching 643 gigawatt-hours, but at the same time, electricity production fell by 13 per cent. Production decreased due to reductions in exports and increases in imports.

Despite the increase in consumption and decrease in production, the Estonian electricity system saw a surplus of 130 gigawatt-hours. As a transit nation, mainly from Nordic countries, 379 gigawatt-hours of electricity moved through Estonia last month, which is 23 per cent more in a year-on-year comparison.

In May, production from renewable energy sources increased in a yearly calculation by 21 per cent, reaching 106 gigawatt-hours. Of this, production from wind energy increased by 30 per cent and bio- and hydro-energy production capacities increased by 15 and eight per cent respectively. The production capacity of wind energy plants increased mainly due to more favourable wind conditions this May – according to the Estonian Weather Service, the average daily wind speed at the Pakri and Virtsu measuring stations was 18 per cent higher than at the same time last year. Electricity produced from renewable sources accounted for 14.9 per cent of domestic consumption.

Electricity production in Latvia decreased by four per cent in May compared to the same month last year, reaching a total of 387 gigawatt-hours. Production in combined heat and power plants decreased by a little more than half, whereas at other power plants production increased. In Latvia, domestic consumption increased by one per cent, reaching 554 gigawatt-hours, and the electricity balance ran a deficit of 168 gigawatt-hours.

Lithuanian electricity production in May more than doubled in a year-on-year comparison, reaching 297 gigawatt-hours, and consumption decreased by one per cent. In May, domestic production covered 36 per cent of consumption, and the electricity balance ran a deficit of 526 gigawatt-hours. An estimated 61 per cent of electricity imported to Lithuania came via Latvia and the remaining 39 per cent was imported from third countries.

In May, gross electricity production in the Baltic countries increased by two per cent, reaching 1457 gigawatt-hours in a year-on-year comparison. Baltic consumption capacity also increased by one per cent to a total of 2021 gigawatt-hours. The gross electricity deficit in the Baltics was therefore 564 gigawatt-hours, remaining at the same level as last year. The electricity deficit totalled 28 per cent of the electricity consumption of the three countries.

Gross electricity production in the Nordic countries increased by four per cent this May compared to the same month last year and consumption by two per cent. The biggest production increase came from Sweden, with power plants there producing 14 per cent more electricity energy than at the same time last year. The balance of production and consumption in the Nordic countries totalled a surplus of 1.27 terawatt-hours this May. Sweden and Norway were net exporters, as usual, while Finland and Denmark were net importers.

A full overview of the electricity system for May is available here in Estonian.