The consequences of the climate catastrophe complicate Austria’s efforts to become less dependent on fossil Russian energy. As grid operator APG explained on Thursday, due to the drought, 31 percent less electricity was generated from hydropower in July than in the same month last year. As a result, three times as much electricity had to be imported as the average over the past four years.
In July 2021, according to APG, about 96 percent of electricity consumption in Austria could still be covered by renewable energy sources, this year only 77 percent was due to the drought, as APG’s CTO, Gerhard Christiner, explained in a broadcast.
The sharp decline in hydroelectric power production in July was also reflected in the energy exchange within Austria. With 263 GWh, Tyrol supplied about 22 percent less electricity to the APG grid in July than a month earlier. Upper Austria came in second with 164 GWh. Vienna (457 GWh) and Lower Austria (306 GWh) took the most electricity from the grid in July.
Other power plants must compensate for bottlenecks
The balance sheet of the Austrian energy exchange shows that APG’s supraregional electricity grid is “essential for the safe power supply in Austria”, according to the transmission system operator. According to APG, a lack of network capacity leads to bottlenecks on the lines and requires the deployment of so-called redispatch emergency measures almost every day. High line loads are counteracted by targeted interventions in the use of thermal and hydraulic power stations.
Customers have to bear additional costs
“As of July, such interventions were required in 144 days this year,” said APG’s CFO Thomas Karall. This causes costs that ultimately have to be paid by the electricity customer. At the end of the month, the costs of redispatch measures amounted to approximately 54 million euros, according to APG.
“A strong grid with sufficient capacity would significantly reduce the need for redispatch and lower costs,” Karall said. The representative of APG again appealed for “the immediate expansion of the network infrastructure”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
