Electricity output grows 11% in February

Photo: Arvo Meeks / Valgamaalane

This February, electricity production in Estonia reached 1060 gigawatt-hours, which is 11 percent higher than the same time last year. The main reason for the increase in electricity production was the growing share of exports in the electricity trade, as well as the low price of CO2 emission quotas, Elering reported.

Compared to a year ago, February’s domestic consumption in Estonia fell by 13 percent to 732 gigawatt-hours. The decrease in power usage was caused by the warmer-than-average weather conditions, as well as the fact that the month was one day shorter.

Latvia also produced 11 percent more electricity in February than it did a year ago, with the total output coming to 524 gigawatt-hours. The increase comes from the hydro power plant cascade on Latvia’s Daugava river, which produced 48 percent more electricity in February than it did in the same period of last year. Latvia’s electricity output managed to cover nearly 82 percent of the country’s own electricity consumption, and ultimately Latvia had a deficit of 119 gigawatt-hours.

Lithuania produced 35 percent less electricity in February than it did a year ago, with a total domestic output of 271 gigawatt-hours. Therefore, February’s electricity production only managed to cover 32 percent of Lithuania’s own consumption, and the final electricity balance for February showed a deficit of 571 gigawatt-hours. Out of the electricity imported to cover the shortfall, 40 percent came from Estonia, 7 percent came from Latvia, and 53 percent came from third countries.

The combined electricity deficit of the Baltic states for the month of February was 361 gigawatt-hours, decreasing by 43 percent compared to the same period of last year. February’s deficit accounted for 16 percent of consumption across all of the Baltic states.

In the Nordics, February’s electricity production fell by 7 percent year-on-year, caused by the continued low level of hydro reservoirs. This made Sweden and Denmark physically exporting countries in February, while Norway and Finland were importing countries. Similarly to output, consumption in the Nordics also fell, by 6 percent.

The exports of electricity produced in Estonia came to 593 gigawatt-hours in January, growing by 88 percent year-on-year. Imports increased by 24 percent at the same time, to 263 gigawatt-hours. Out of the total export side of the electricity trade, export to Lithuania accounted for 47 percent, while Latvia took 43 percent and Finland took 10 percent. Out of the total imports, Finland accounted for 44 percent, Latvia for 37 percent, and Lithuania for 19 percent.