Electricity, May 2007

Large amounts of snow in the mountains and a good filling level in the reservoirs may have contributed to the high production. Since almost the entire Norwegian power system is based on hydropower, the amounts of snow and inflow level are important drivers for the production. In the period 1979-2006, the production of power has only been higher once. In 2000, the production came to 11 311 GWh.

Filling level above median

The reservoir filling level was 41.5 per cent at the beginning of May. Throughout the month, the filling level increased by 6.6 percentage points to 48.1 per cent at the end of week 21. The median filling for the corresponding period in the last 15 years is 44.4 per cent.

Record high consumption of electricity

Gross domestic consumption of electricity (total production less net export) in May came to 9641 GWh, the highest consumption figure ever recorded for this month. The consumption in energy-intensive manufacturing amounted to 2 661 GWh, a decline of 2.2 per cent compared with the corresponding month last year. The consumption in the category “Gross domestic consumption subtracted consumption in energy-intensive manufacturing” was 6 980 GWh, an increase of 7.4 per cent from the same month last year and the highest level ever recorded for this month. Households, services and other manufacturing than energy-intensive manufacturing account for the majority of this consumption. Low electricity prices and high economic activity may have affected the high consumption of electricity.

From net import to net export

Norway's imports of power came to 425 GWh in May, while exports came to 1 181 GWh. Compared with May last year, there has been a shift from net imports to net exports.

See also

Prices of electric energy

Tables:

• Table 1 Production, import, export and consumption of electric energy. GWh. Preliminary figures