Electricity demand rose across major European markets during the week of November 17, driven by lower temperatures and a return to normal activity in some countries.
Electricity consumption increased in all major European markets compared to the previous week. France posted the sharpest rise, with demand up by 31%, followed by Belgium and Great Britain, where consumption grew by 15% and 14%, respectively. Portugal recorded the smallest uptick at 2.5%, while Spain, Germany and Italy saw increases of 5.8%, 6.1% and 6.9%.
Except for France and Belgium, all other monitored markets experienced their third consecutive week of rising electricity demand.
Colder weather played a central role in boosting consumption. Average temperatures dropped across all markets, with the steepest declines registered in Belgium (-8.9 °C), Germany (-8.3 °C) and France (-8.1 °C). Italy, Portugal, Spain and Great Britain saw more moderate decreases, ranging from -2.6 °C in Italy to -6.8 °C in Great Britain.
In France and Belgium, the rebound in demand was further supported by the return to normal working schedules after the Armistice Day holiday on November 11, which fell in the previous week.
Looking ahead to the final week of November, AleaSoft Energy Forecasting expects electricity demand to continue rising in Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Belgium. France and Great Britain, however, are forecast to see declines, AleaSoft reports.
