Consumption reaches historic high through November

Electricity consumption increased by 2.9% (2% when adjusted for temperature and working days) in the first eleven months of the year, a new historical high for the period. In November, electricity consumption increased by 6.6% year-on-year, influenced by very low consumption in that period in 2024 due to the temperatures recorded at the time. Adjusted for temperature effects and number of working days, there was a 2.3% change, in line with the trend observed.

By the end of November, renewables supplied 68% of electricity consumption, with hydroelectric power standing out with a productivity index of 1.33 (historical average of 1), supplying 26% of consumption. Wind energy supplied 25%, while solar power plants accounted for 12% of supply, despite a 28% increase in production compared to the previous year. Biomass power plants supplied the remaining 5%, while natural gas production accounted for 15% of consumption and imports accounted for 17%.

In November, conditions were particularly favourable for hydroelectric production, with a productivity index of 1.33 (historical average of 1). Wind production stood at an index of 1.03 and photovoltaic production at 0.86. Renewable production as a whole supplied 66% of consumption and non-renewable production 16%. The foreign trade balance continued to show an import trend, accounting for the remaining 18% of consumption.

The natural gas market continued the recovery trend seen in recent months, with year-on-year monthly growth of 11.3%, driven by the electricity production segment, which recorded positive year-on-year growth of 38%. In the conventional segment, which covers the remaining customers, there was also a positive year-on-year change of 1.6%.

The balance for the first eleven months of the year shows that natural gas consumption reached a cumulative annual change of 13%, the result of growth of over 100% in the electricity production segment, while the conventional segment recorded a drop of 6.9%.
Supply in November remained almost entirely through the Sines LNG terminal, with 2.5% of gas coming from the interconnection with Spain.

In the first 11 months of the year, 97% of natural gas arrived through the Sines terminal, with the main sources, Nigeria and the USA, representing 51% and 41% of the national system's supply, respectively.