The heat of this summer that shows no signs of abating is causing Italians’ electricity consumption to rise. In July, our country’s demand was equal to 31.3 billion kWh. This is a record, as Terna reports, given that such a high number has not been seen since 2015when – it was still the month of July – the high temperatures even forced a refuge on Mont Blanc, at almost 4,000 meters, to close. Nine years ago, the highest electricity consumption figure was reached on July 21, at 4:00 p.m. This year, the record was recorded on July 19, between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., with a maximum peak demand of approximately 57.9 GW.
Electricity consumption thus increases by 4.5% compared to July 2023, when, thanks to the increase in bills, Italians made greater sacrifices and the data was negative compared to the previous year (-3.4%). But the positive variation was also due to the two extra working days that there were in 2024 (23 compared to 21). The average temperature was substantially in line with July 2023 with the exception of the last week of the month, during which the average temperature exceeded that of the same period last year by 3 degrees. In August, however, the trend is lower. This is because the bulk of energy consumption is given by industries and in August, despite the heat not having yet loosened its grip, many companies are closed or reducing their on-site staff.
Terna assures however that the high temperatures reached «have not however affected the adequacy margins, which remain positive». The balance between supply and demand therefore remains strong. The data adjusted for seasonality and calendar and temperature effects in fact shows a more contained variation, equal to +2.6% compared to July 2023. At a territorial level, the variation was not the same across the entire territory. In fact, it is positive in the North (+7.4%) and in the Center (+3.3%), almost stationary in the South and on the Islands (-0.3%).
Finally, Terna reports that last month, 86.4% of the Italian electricity demand was met by domestic production and the remaining share (13.6%) by the balance of energy exchanged with foreign countries.