Electricity demand declined across most major European markets during the week of June 29, as cooler weather conditions reduced consumption after a period of extreme heat in several countries. Belgium recorded the largest weekly decrease, with demand falling by 10%, followed by Great Britain with a 9.8% decline. France registered an 8.5% drop, while Italy and Germany saw demand reductions of 5.3% and 4.7%, respectively. Spain experienced the smallest decrease, with consumption falling only 0.3% compared with the previous week.
Portugal was the only major European market to record higher electricity demand, with consumption increasing by 7.0% week on week. The Portuguese market also extended its positive trend, marking the fourth consecutive week of rising electricity demand, supported by continued warm weather conditions.
Average temperatures declined across most of the analysed European markets during the period. Belgium experienced the sharpest temperature drop, with average temperatures decreasing by 8.1°C. France followed with a 6.1°C decline, while Germany and Great Britain recorded reductions of 5.9°C and 5.2°C, respectively. Italy saw a more moderate decrease of 0.9°C, while Spain registered a 0.3°C decline. In contrast, Portugal recorded a 1.6°C increase in average temperatures, making it the only market where weather conditions became warmer.
The return to cooler temperatures helped reduce electricity demand across most European markets, following several periods of intense heat during the second half of June. Heatwave conditions had affected France, Italy, Belgium and Germany, while Great Britain experienced a particularly strong heat episode between 24 and 28 June. As temperatures eased during the week of June 29, cooling demand declined and overall electricity consumption decreased across most countries.
Portugal followed a different pattern, as temperatures remained elevated throughout the week. The warmer conditions contributed to higher electricity consumption, breaking the broader European trend of declining demand and highlighting the continued influence of weather conditions on short-term power market dynamics.
According to AleaSoft Energy Forecasting, electricity demand forecasts for the second week of July indicate further increases in Great Britain, France, Belgium and Spain. Meanwhile, electricity consumption is expected to decline in Portugal, Germany and Italy, reflecting changing weather patterns and evolving demand conditions across European electricity markets, AleaSoft reports.
