Natural gas demand for power generation in Spain hit a daily record last week due to a heatwave, according to transmission system and LNG terminal operator, Enagas.
Demand for natural gas to produce electricity reached 803.8 GWh on July 13, surpassing the record of 770 GWh reached on June 16 and 764 GWh recorded on June 15, Enagas said in a statement.
“This huge increase in the demand for natural gas for electricity production has been mainly due to the high temperatures recorded as a result of the heatwave,” Enagas said.
This results in an increase in electricity consumption, accompanied by low hydro, wind and also photovoltaic and solar thermal generation, as well as an increase in electrical exports, it said.
Also, this new consecutive increase in demand for electricity generation highlights the coordination of the electricity and gas systems to guarantee supply in a context of energy transition, and the important role played by natural gas as a back-up for renewable energies at times of record demand, Enagas said.
Enagas operates a large network of gas pipelines and has four LNG import plants in Barcelona, Huelva, Cartagena, and Gijon. It also owns 50 percent of the BBG regasification plant in Bilbao and 72.5 percent of the Sagunto plant.
The firm is working to launch its El Musel LNG facility in Gijon with the capacity to unload and load 100 carriers per year.