Terna: in Italy, electrical energy consumption down 13,4% in June

Renewable sources are still growing: they covered 48.9% of monthly demand and 40.5% of half-yearly demand

Demand increased compared to may (+1%), wind energy production growing strongly (+58.9%)

Rome, 15 July 2020 –In June 2020, according to data collected by Terna, the company that manages the national electricity grid, electricity demand in Italy stood at 24 billion kWh, a 13.4% decrease compared to the same month in 2019. This was achieved with one more working day (21 vs 20), and with an average monthly temperature approximately 2.6°C lower than the year before. In June, compared to the previous months, the decrease in consumption was less effected by the impact of the measures introduced to face the COVID-19 health emergency, showing signs of a gradual recovery. When adjusted for seasonal, temperature and calendar effects, the figure represents a -10.4% variation.

Demand in the first half of 2020 decreased by 8.9% compared to the same period in 2019. In adjusted terms, it remains essentially unchanged (-9%). In the first six months of 2020, renewable sources covered a total of 40.5% of electricity demand, compared to 35.5% in the corresponding period of 2019.

On a regional level, the June 2020 trend was negative across the country: -14.3% in the North, -12.7% in Central Italy and -11.6% in the South.

The data for June 2020, adjusted for calendar and temperature effects, recorded an increase in electricity demand (+1%) compared to the previous month (May 2020).

In June 2020, 97.8% of the electricity demand was met with domestic production, and the remaining 2.2% was met with the balance of electricity exchanged with foreign countries. Production from renewable sources covered 48.9% of the demand, up compared to the same period in 2019 (41.9%). More specifically, net domestic production (23.6 billion kWh) decreased (-3.9%) compared to June 2019. Wind production grew (+58.9%), whilst all other sources fell (hydroelectric -8%; thermal -7.2%; geothermal -5.6%; photovoltaic -0.9%).

A detailed analysis of provisional 2020 monthly electricity demand is available in the publication “Monthly Report on the Electricity System”, under the section “Electric System>>Dispatching>>Operating Data” at www.terna.it/en