First quarter of 2026 sees record electricity consumption

In the first three months of 2026, electricity consumption reached 14.6 TWh, the highest figure ever recorded for a first quarter, exceeding the previous record of 14.1 TWh set in 2025 by 3.8% or 3.9% when adjusted for temperature and working days.

However, in March, electricity consumption halted the growth seen in recent months, with a year-on-year decrease of 0.6%, although after adjusting for temperature and working days, the change was ultimately positive at 1.4%.

In the first quarter, renewable production supplied 80% of consumption, with hydroelectric power accounting for 38%, wind power 32%, solar power 6% and biomass 4%.

Natural gas production, although driven by constraints in the national system following the effects of Storm Kristin, did not exceed 16% of consumption, whilst the balance of trade with other countries supplied the remaining 3%. Among renewables, the hydroelectric productivity index stood at 1.52, the wind productivity index at 1.15 and the solar productivity index at 0.65 (historical averages of 1).

In March, renewable production supplied 76% of consumption, non-renewable 15%, whilst the monthly balance of trade with other countries supplied the remaining 9% of national consumption. In the renewable energy sector, weather conditions remained favourable for hydroelectric power, which recorded a productivity index of 1.27. The wind power component had a productivity index of 0.89 and solar power 0.71 (historical averages of 1).

In the gas market, the upward trend in consumption seen in recent months continues, with a year-on-year increase of 10.3% in March. This figure results from growth in the electricity generation segment, which recorded a year-on-year increase of 79%, despite a 6.8% decline in the conventional segment.

The national system was supplied primarily from the Sines LNG terminal, accounting for 97% of national consumption, with flows via the interconnector with Spain not exceeding the remaining 3% of consumption.

Over the quarter as a whole, cumulative gas consumption recorded a year-on-year increase of 13.8%, resulting from increases of 54% in the electricity generation segment and 0.2% in the conventional segment, which covers all other consumers. During this period, the Sines Terminal supplied 82% of national consumption, sourced from Nigeria (37%), the USA (36%) and Russia (10%). The remaining 18% entered via the interconnector with Spain.