Electricity, May 2010

Electricity consumption excluding power intensive manufacturing amounted to 5 900 GWh in May; an increase of 3.6 per cent compared with the corresponding month last year. The high consumption of electricity can be viewed in conjunction with lower average temperatures in May. The average temperature in Norway was 1.5 degrees lower compared with the same month last year. So far this year the consumption amounts to 42 924 GWh; 8.9 per cent higher compared to the same period last year.

Households, services and manufacturing other than the power-intensive accounted for the majority of the consumption.

Continued low consumption of electricity in power intensive manufacturing

Electricity consumption in power intensive manufacturing came to 2 460 GWh in May; 12 per cent higher compared with corresponding month in 2009. However, consumption was still 12 per cent lower than the monthly average in the 2006-2008 period.

Lower electricity production

The production of electricity amounted to 7 420 GWh in May; 18 per cent lower compared with the same month last year. From January to May production totalled 54 676 GWh; 4.6 per cent less than in the same period in 2009.

According to NVE the reservoir level was 36.9 per cent at the end of week 21. This is 7.8 percentage points below the median level.

High net import of power

Norway’s exports of electricity came to 285 GWh in May, while imports totalled 2 076 GWh. This gave net imports of 1 791 GWh. So far this year net imports amount to 5 301 GWh.

Tables:

• Table 1 Electricity balance. Monthly. GWh
• Table 2 Production of electricity, on county level. GWh
• Table 3 Consumption excluding power-intensive manufacturing, seasonal and non-seasonal growth from previous month. Per cent