• July saw the largest increase in demand in the summer months since 2008
• The consumption of gas for electricity generation broke records in July with approximately 8,200 GWh, the highest figure since February 2012
• Natural gas was the largest source of electricity generation for a 10-day period
The demand for natural gas in Spain grew by 17% in July in relation to the same period last year. This percentage is the largest monthly increase in the summer months since 2008 and is mainly due to the growth in demand for gas for both electricity generation and the industrial sector.
More specifically, it is estimated that the demand for natural gas for electricity generation in July will have reached 8,200 GWh, the highest figure recorded since February 2012 owing to very low hydroelectricity production and the scheduled shutdown of one of the country’s nuclear power stations. This figure reflects a 53% increase over those for the same month last year.
Combined cycle power stations became the primary source of power generation in order to cover demand over a period of ten days, underscoring the important role natural gas plays in guaranteeing power supply.
Conventional demand, for suppling homes, businesses and industries, is estimated to have grown by 5.9% in July compared to the same month last year, mainly the result of greater industrial consumption, which has risen by about 6.2%. The domestic sector remained stable at values similar to those of July last year.
For the year to date, the demand for natural gas in Spain has increased by about 7.6% compared to the same period in 2016. Conventional demand increased by 4.4% and delivery for electricity generation grew by 25.5%. Industrial demand is also growing at 7.8%, in line with Spain’s growing economy.
