Gas consumption in Austria was significantly lower in July, about 11 percent, than a year earlier. According to data from the regulatory agency E-Control, the electricity consumption was about five percent. Monthly average wholesale prices for electricity and gas were five times higher in July than in the same month last year. Electricity generation from hydropower has fallen dramatically.
The high energy prices are partly to blame for this, says E-Control expert Johannes Mayer. In July, a total of 3.53 terawatt hours (TWh) of gas was delivered to Austrian end customers, about 0.44 TWh or 11.1 percent less than in the same month last year. Domestic electricity consumption (excluding pump storage) decreased by 4.9 percent.
Electricity production decreased by about 17.2 percent to 5.2 TWh. Only 60 percent of this came from hydropower, in July 2021 that was still about 70 percent.
Electricity imports from abroad rose by 35 percent to approximately 2.4 TWh. The physical export of electricity decreased by 19 percent to about 1.5 TWh. Net imports were thus significantly higher at 0.83 TWh than the comparative value of the previous year (0.13 TWh).
Domestic gas production (including injecting biogenic gases) increased by 6.4 percent to 0.58 TWh. The surcharge was significantly higher than in the previous year. 27 percent more gas was stored, while withdrawals were 26 percent lower than a year earlier. Physical imports from neighboring countries were about 29 percent below the relative value of the previous year. Physical exports fell by about 45 percent, resulting in a significantly higher import balance of 10.9 TWh for July 2022 compared to July 2021.
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.
