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The increase among counties with high production of electricity (over 8,000 GWh per year), was the highest in Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane and Telemark, where production jumped by respectively 42, 32 and 19 per cent since June last year. The large increase in production since last year must be viewed in connection with the fact that output in June last year was particularly low because water storage levels were abnormally low and there was little snow in the mountains. Compared to production in the same month in 1995, output was down five per cent. Reservoir levels were relatively low in early June this year, but rose sharply because of heavy snowmelt in the mountains.
Norway produced 7,669 GWh of electricity in June, an increase of 21.5 per cent from the same month last year. The upturn is connected to higher consumption and a sharp increase in storage levels in water reservoirs compared to last year. Domestic gross consumption was 7,891 GWh, about eight per cent higher than in June the year before.
Higher reservoir levels
At the end of July, water storage levels reached 76.8 per cent, 2.5 per cent over the median for the 10-year period 1982-1991. By comparison, reservoir levels at the end of July last year were 55.2 per cent. Since mid-May, water storage has risen by fully 53 per cent, precipitating increased production, lower imports and sharply lower spot prices for electricity. Imports in June totalled 528 GWh, half the previous month's. The average spot price in June was 10.2 øre/kWh, down about 60 per cent from last year.
Weekly Bulletin issue no. 32, 1997