Red Eléctrica de España has published the demand for electricity corresponding to the month of May, the second complete month under the state of emergency caused by the COVID-19, which saw the beginning of de-escalation and, consequently, an increase in economic activity. In this context, the national electricity demand for May is estimated at 18,366 GWh, 13.1% less than the figure recorded for the same month last year. After factoring in the seasonal and working patterns, the figure is 13.6% lower than in May 2019. This decrease is slightly less than the one registered last April, when the national demand was 17,003 GWh, that is, 17.8% less than the same month of the previous year.

 

The demand for electrical energy falls 12.5% in the peninsular electricity system

In the peninsular electricity system, the electricity demand for May is estimated at 17,417 GWh, 12.5% less than the figure recorded for the same month last year. After factoring in the seasonal and working patterns, the demand is 13% lower than in May 2019.

The peninsular demand for electrical energy in the first five months of 2020 is estimated at 95,655 GWh, 7.7% less than in 2019. In this case, after taking into account the influence of seasonal and working patterns, demand was 7.6% lower than in the same period of the previous year.

During this month and according to current estimated data, 54.5% of peninsular generation came from renewable energy sources and 73.8% was obtained using technologies which produce zero CO₂ equivalent emissions. Furthermore, wind energy in May stood at 3,894 GWh, a figure that is 15% below that registered in May last year, and contributed 22.6% to the generation mix.

The demand for electrical energy in May decreased 31.3% in the Balearic Islands and 18.8% in the Canary Islands

In the Balearic Islands, the demand for electricity in May is estimated at 327,927 GWh, a value that is 31.3% lower than that recorded in the same month last year. After having factored in the influence of seasonal and working patterns, the figure decreased by 32.6% with respect to May 2019. The demand of the Balearic Islands during the first five months of 2020 is estimated at 1,912,726 GWh, 15.1% less than in 2019.

Combined cycle, with 77.2% of the total, was the leading source of electricity generation in the Balearic Islands, whereas renewable technologies, which produce zero CO₂ equivalent, accounted for 7.6%. For the fifth consecutive month, coal-fired generation was not used to produce any MWh in the Balearic Islands' electricity system.

Regarding the Canary Islands, demand for electricity is estimated at 588,254 MWh, which is 18.8% less than that recorded in May 2019. After having factored in the influence of seasonal and working patterns, the figure decreased by 18.5% with respect to the same month in 2019. So far in 2020, overall demand in the Canary Islands is estimated at 3,280,162 MWh, a decrease of 8.8% compared to the same period last year.

During May and according to current estimated data, combined cycle was the leading technology in the Canary Islands generation mix, with a contribution of 39.9%. Renewables and zero-emission technologies accounted for 16.8% of the generation on the Canary Islands.

Consult our Daily balance report for more information on the National, Peninsular, Balearic Islands and Canary Islands electricity systems as at the close of May.