Electricity, December 2009

The increase in the consumption of electricity excluding power intensive manufacturing can be viewed in conjunction with lower average temperatures. The average temperature in Norway was 1.1 degrees below normal and 3 degrees lower compared with the same month last year. In total, consumption of electricity excluding power intensive manufacturing came to 84.7 TWh in 2009. This is 3.1 per cent higher compared to last year.

The electricity consumption in power intensive manufacturing decreased 21 per cent in 2009. The reduction is mostly due to the financial crisis, which lowered demand for products produced by power intensive manufacturing. In December, the electricity consumption amounted to 2 386 GWh. This is 13 per cent lower compared to the corresponding month last year.

High electricity production

The production of electricity amounted to 14 138 GWh in December. This is almost identical to December last year. In 2009, the production of electricity came to 132.8; 6.9 per cent lower than in 2008. Of the total production, hydro power accounted for 95.7 per cent, while thermal power and wind power accounted for 3.6 and 0.7 per cent respectively. According to NVE, the utilisable reservoir inflow amounted to 124.9 TWh in 2009. This is 2.4 TWh higher than normal, but 4.7 per cent lower compared to 2008. During most of 2009 the reservoir level was below the median level. At the end of week 53 the reservoir level was 5.3 percentage points below the median level for this week.

Net export of power

In 2009, Norway’s imports of electricity came to 5.7 TWh, while exports totalled 14.6 TWh. This gave net exports of 9 TWh. The average net export from 2000-2009 was 5 TWh. In December, net export came to 0.6 TWh; down 48 per cent compared to the corresponding period in 2008.

Tables:

• Table 1 Electricity balance. Monthly. GWh (Corrected 8 June 2011)
• Table 2 Production of electricity, on county level. GWh (Corrected 8 June 2011)
• Table 3 Consumption excluding power-intensive manufacturing, seasonal and non-seasonal growth from previous month. Per cent
• Table 4 Electricity balance. Quarterly. GWh