Electricity, April 2012

The record high electricity generation may be seen in conjunction with a high demand for electricity and a large amount of water in the Norwegian reservoirs. The building of power plants and upgrading of old power plants also contribute to a higher level over time. According to the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, the reservoir filling was 50.5 per cent at the beginning of April. Throughout the month, the filling fell by 8.0 percentage points to 42.5 per cent at the end of week 17. The median filling for the corresponding week in the years 1990-2011 is 31.9 per cent.

From net import to net export of power

Norway’s export of power totalled 1 841 GWh in April 2012, whereas imports came to 285 GWh. This gave a net export of 1 556 GWh and is the highest level ever recorded for April. In the same month last year the situation was the other way around; Norway had a net import of 1 242 GWh. Exchange of power between countries is determined by differences in generation and the consumption situation and prices, in addition to the capacity of the power lines. The high net export may be due to the fact that the large volume of water in the Norwegian power system contributed to a lower average elspot price in April for the Norwegian price areas compared with the other Nordic areas.

Rise in the total electricity consumption

The total gross consumption of electricity came to 10 525 GWh in April; an increase of 9 per cent compared with the same month in 2011. The gross consumption of electricity encompasses consumption in the groups extraction of crude oil and natural gas, power-intensive manufacturing and

electricity consumption excluding power-intensive manufacturing and extraction. Pump storage use and other own consumption in the power stations in addition to net loss are also included.

Increase in the electricity consumption excluding power-intensive manufacturing and extraction

Electricity consumption excluding power-intensive manufacturing and extraction amounted to 6 262 GWh in April; an increase of 14 per cent compared with the same month in 2011. This may be seen in conjunction with a 4.1 degrees lower average temperature for Norway as a whole in April this year. Households, services and manufacturing other than the power-intensive manufacturing account for the majority of the electricity consumption excluding power-intensive manufacturing and extraction. Electricity consumption in households amounts to approximately 50 per cent of the electricity consumption excluding power-intensive manufacturing and extraction.

Slight decrease in the consumption in power-intensive manufacturing

Electricity consumption in power-intensive manufacturing was 2 776 GWh in April 2012. This is 0.5 per cent lower compared with April 2011. Power-intensive manufacturing utilises electricity for the production of goods. Hence, the electricity consumption is not influenced by temperature.

Tables:

• Table 1 Electricity balance. Monthly. GWh