Natural gas demand for power generation in Spain reached 526 GWh on Wednesday, its highest level since January 2011.
This increase was primarily due to the very low wind and hydropower generation and the fact that two Spanish nuclear power plants were shut down, according to the data provided by the LNG terminal operator, Enagás.
At the same time, conventional demand, gas destined for domestic, commercial and industrial consumption, hit its highest-ever level for the month of November in the first fifteen days of the month. This, together with larger gas deliveries for power generation, allowed total demand for gas to hit its highest level since 2012 given normal temperature conditions.
The record demand for gas from the electricity sector on Wednesday was easily absorbed by the system, which operated with total normality, Enagás said, demonstrating the fundamental role that natural gas plays in guaranteeing the electricity supply.
This year to date, natural gas demand in Spain has grown by about 9 percent over the same period in 2016. This is largely due to growth in industrial demand (7.4 percent), which represents 60 percent of all national demand.