Electricity consumption in Spain on Wednesday reached 752 GWh, compared to 794 GWh recorded on Wednesday of the previous week, according to data published by Redeia (the former Red Eléctrica de España). This represents a decrease of 5.3%.
It is difficult to specify how much the package of energy saving measures approved by the Government on August 1 and which came into force yesterday weighs on this reduction. "It is too early for comparisons and we must take into account both the difference in climatic conditions, as well as in industrial activity, etc," they point out from Redeia.
In fact, if the comparison is made as the same comparable Wednesday of the previous year, that is, Wednesday of the second week of August, which is the comparison used when talking about electricity prices, the result is that the Wednesday, August 10, 2022 Spain consumed 2.1% more than that same Wednesday of the previous year.
The truth is that, according to experts, the comparison with 2021 is highly distorted. A year ago, most international borders were closed and the number of tourists in Spain was 236% lower than this month of August and many hotels and restaurants were still closed and a large part of their staff in ERTE, with what the activity was very less.
Compared to last week, the fall in demand, in addition to the new measures, may influence the fact that in the second week of August, both industrial and office activity are considerably reduced compared to the first week.
In addition, the heat wave was more generalized last week than this one since the rains have already entered and temperatures have dropped, especially in the northwest and north of Spain.
Both from Redeia and from the Government they rule out offering data on the impact that the measures had during their first hours of application. Sources from Moncloa assure that more than the specific saving data in these first days, the measure is looking for is "to raise awareness of the need to reduce energy expenditure in the long term". They assure that the same thing can happen when the ban on smoking in public spaces was approved that what at first seemed impossible to comply with time has become generalized and no one questions it anymore.
