In the week ending January 12, electricity demand across key European markets exhibited a generally positive trend, with notable increases observed in several regions. The Italian market led the charge with a significant rise of 6.8%, closely followed by Spain at 5.0%. Germany also saw an uptick of 2.0%, while Portugal experienced the smallest growth at 1.7%. This marks the third consecutive week of demand growth for both Italy and Germany, and the second week of increases for markets on the Iberian Peninsula.
The uptick in demand can be attributed to the return to regular working patterns following the Epiphany holiday on January 6, which was particularly impactful in Spain, Italy, and parts of Germany. This normalization has driven consumption levels back up after holiday-induced fluctuations.
Conversely, Belgium, Great Britain, and France reported declines in electricity demand during this period. Belgium’s drop was recorded at 6.7%, while France faced a more substantial decrease of 18%. Great Britain also saw a reduction in demand by 7.0%, indicating a divergence in market performance across the region.
The weather conditions during this week were relatively milder compared to the previous week, contributing to these trends. Average temperature increases ranged from 1.1 °C in Portugal to as much as 9.0 °C in Belgium, which likely influenced energy consumption patterns.
<pLooking ahead to the week of January 19, forecasts from AleaSoft Energy Forecasting suggest a rebound in electricity demand for Great Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Spain. However, projections indicate that both Portugal and Italy may experience a decline in demand during this period.
