Electricity, March 2010

The electricity consumption excluding power intensive manufacturing amounted to 8 986 GWh in March; an increase of 5.1 per cent compared with the corresponding month last year. The high consumption of electricity can be viewed in conjunction with lower average temperatures in March. The average temperature in Norway was 1.9 degrees lower compared with the same month 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

The electricity consumption in power intensive manufacturing came to 2 453 GWh in March; 4.3 per cent higher compared with corresponding month in 2009. However, consumption was 12 per cent lower than the monthly average in the 2006-2008 period.

In the first quarter, electricity consumption in power intensive manufacturing and pulp and paper production totalled 7 053 GWh and 1 189 GWh respectively.

Lower electricity production

The production of electricity amounted to 11 185 GWh in March; 8.8 per cent lower compared with the same month last year.

According to NVE, the reservoir level was 26.8 per cent at the end of week 13. This is 12.8 percentage points below the median level.

High net import of power

Norway’s export of electricity came to 151 GWh in March, while import totalled 1 447 GWh. This gave a net import of 1 296 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
• Table 4 Electricity balance. Quarterly. GWh.