In the second week of July, electricity demand increased across most of Europe’s main power markets compared with the previous week, driven partly by higher temperatures and seasonal consumption patterns. Great Britain recorded the largest increase, with demand rising by 5.9%, followed by France with a 5.6% increase and Spain with a 4.5% rise. Electricity consumption also grew in Belgium by 3.9% and Italy by 2.8%.
In contrast, electricity demand declined in Germany and Portugal during the same period. German consumption fell by 1.2%, marking the second consecutive weekly decrease, while Portugal recorded a sharper decline of 5.1%. The different market trends reflected variations in weather conditions, temperature changes and national consumption patterns.
Average temperatures increased in most of the analysed European markets during the week. Great Britain experienced the largest temperature rise, with average temperatures increasing by 3.9°C compared with the previous week. France followed with a 3.5°C increase, while Belgium recorded a rise of 3.2°C. Smaller temperature increases were observed in Spain and Germany, at 0.7°C and 0.1°C respectively.
Meanwhile, some southern European markets experienced slightly cooler conditions. Average temperatures declined by 1.1°C in Portugal and by 0.3°C in Italy. These changes influenced electricity demand patterns, particularly in markets where cooling requirements play an important role during the summer period.
For the third week of July, AleaSoft Energy Forecasting expects electricity demand to increase in Italy and Belgium. However, forecasts indicate lower consumption levels in the Iberian Peninsula, France, Germany and Great Britain as weather conditions and market dynamics change.
France’s National Day on July 14 is also expected to contribute to reduced electricity demand in the French market during the week, as holiday-related activity typically lowers industrial and commercial consumption. Overall, European power markets continue to reflect the influence of seasonal temperatures, public holidays and changing consumption behaviour during the summer period, AleaSoft reports.
