(AGENPARL) – mar 21 maggio 2024 Electricity consumption up 1.1% over April 2023, with a monthly demand of 23.5 billion kWh
TERNA: OVER 50% OF ENERGY DEMAND COVERED BY
RENEWABLE SOURCES IN APRIL
Just one third of electricity demand covered by fossil fuels, as hydroelectric power continues to
grow: +197.5% over April 2023
Industrial consumption remains essentially stable (+1%) compared to April last year, while
electricity consumption in the services sector was up +4.9% in February 2024
Rome, 21 May 2024 – Italian electricity consumption this April showed a 1.1% increase over the
figures for the same month in 2023. According to data gathered by Terna, the Italian grid operator,
last month’s demand for electricity reached 23.5 billion kWh.
The figure for electricity demand, adjusted for the contrasting effects of season, temperature and
calendar, is the same as April 2023, confirming the trend in recent months. This finding is the result
of the “Easter effect”, of the two extra working days (20 instead of 18), and of an average monthly
temperature 1.5°C higher than that in April 2023.
Geographically, the trend for April was +0.9% in the North, +1% in Central Italy and +1.7% in the
South and Islands.
In the first four months of the year, national demand decreased by 0.8% compared to the
corresponding period of 2023 (+0.5% adjusted value).
Terna’s IMCEI (Monthly Industrial Electricity Consumption Index), which looks at the industrial
consumption of energy-intensive businesses, showed an increase of 1% compared to April 2023.
However, the variation becomes negative (-1.4%) once the data have been adjusted for the effects
of the season and the calendar. Looking at specific sectors, growth was seen in the paper, cement,
lime and gypsum, transport, food and engineering industries; while ceramics and glass, chemicals
and non-iron metals all shrank.
The short-term figure for electricity demand, adjusted for seasonal, calendar and temperature
effects, was down slightly compared to March 2024 (-0.8%). The IMCEI index also showed a
negative short-term change (-1.7%).
The IMSER (Monthly Services Index) which Terna publishes on the basis of monthly electricity
consumption figures from certain distribution-grid operators (E-Distribuzione, UNARETI, A-Reti,
Edyna and Deval) recorded an increase of 4.9% in February 2024 compared to February 2023. In
addition to the effects of the calendar, this steep rise was also caused by a notable drop in inflation
and particularly by a significant fall-off in energy prices. In greater detail, February saw particularly
positive changes in the Information and Communications, Transport and Storage, and Hospitality
and Catering sectors, while Finance and Insurance showed a negative trend.
Returning to Terna’s monthly figures, last month saw 85.4% of Italian electricity demand met by
national production, and the remainder (14.6%) by the balance of electricity exchanged with foreign
countries. The monthly foreign balance was 3.4 TWh, 28.9% less than April 2023. In particular, the
import-export balance is the result of the combined effect of an increase in exports (+114.7%) and a
decrease in imports (-24.0%).
Looking at the breakdown, net national production was 20.4 billion kWh, and renewables covered
51.2% of electricity demand (this figure was 36% in April 2023). There was an increase in
hydroelectric (+197.5%) and photovoltaic (+19.5%) sources, mainly due to the increase in installed
operating capacity.
There was a decrease in geothermal (-0.9%) and wind (-3.4%). Thermal source also decreases (16.6%).
In the first four months of 2024, the operating capacity of renewables increased by 2,356 MW (of
which 2,167 MW photovoltaic). This value is 736 MW higher (+45%) compared to the same period
of the previous year.
A detailed analysis of provisional 2023 and 2024 monthly electricity demand is available in the
“Monthly Report on the Electricity System”, available under the section “Electric
System>>Publications>>Monthly Report” at http://www.terna.it
Real-time data on the operation of the national electricity system can also be found on the Terna
app, available on all app stores:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.terna.energia&hl=it