As of the week ending January 26, electricity demand across major European markets exhibited varied trends, with notable increases in several countries. The United Kingdom led the charge with a demand increase of 3.7%, marking a significant rebound after two weeks of decline. Meanwhile, Italy and Germany reported modest gains of 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively, continuing a five-week upward trajectory. France also experienced growth, with demand rising by 1.4% for the second consecutive week.
In stark contrast, the Iberian Peninsula and Belgium faced declining demand figures. Belgium recorded a slight decrease of 0.8%, reflecting its third week of reductions. Both Spain and Portugal saw more pronounced drops of 2.3% and 7.5%, respectively, reversing previous upward trends sustained over three weeks.
The last week of January also saw fluctuations in average temperatures across the analyzed markets, which may have influenced electricity consumption patterns. Portugal registered the highest temperature increase at 2.2 °C, while France experienced the least change at just 0.1 °C. Other countries recorded varying degrees of temperature rises: Italy at 0.2 °C, Germany at 1.6 °C, and Spain at 2.0 °C. Conversely, both the United Kingdom and Belgium reported decreases in average temperatures of 1.3 °C and 2.0 °C respectively.
Looking ahead to February’s first week, forecasts from AleaSoft Energy suggest an anticipated rise in electricity demand for the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Spain. However, projections indicate a decline in demand for Germany, Portugal, Italy, and France during this period.
