BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov.6
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
The volumes of gas injected by Italian Snam into the network during the first nine months of 2020 totalled 53.13 billion cubic metres, down by 5.30 billion cubic metres, or 9.1 percent, compared to the corresponding figure for the first nine months of 2019 (58.43 billion cubic metres), Trend reports citing the company.
The drop was essentially as a result of the significant drop in demand for natural gas in Italy (49.77 billion cubic metres; -4.59 billion cubic metres; -8.5 percent) recorded in all consumption sectors.
“In particular, the contraction in gas demand is attributable: (i) to the lesser consumption in the residential and tertiary sector (-1.84 billion cubic metres; -9.6 percent) compared to milder temperatures in the corresponding period of 2019 and the gradual increase in energy efficiency enhancing measures; (ii) to the lesser consumption in the thermoelectric sector (-1.59 billion cubic metres; -7.8 percent), as a result of the reduction in demand for electricity caused by lockdown measures to contain COVID-19 as of March, as well as the increase in production from hydroelectric and photovoltaic plants, partly offset by a substantial drop in electricity import flows,” reads the updated Snam report.
“The reduction in demand for natural gas was also affected by lesser consumption in the industrial sector (-1.11 billion cubic metres; -8.6 percent), affected by a 15.5 percent reduction in the industrial production index in the period January-August compared to 2019, intensified by the closure of various production activities following the lockdown (March-April) and then by the slow recovery of industrial production that has not yet returned to pre-COVID levels.
Adjusted for the weather effect, gas demand was 50.10 billion cubic metres, down by 3.53 billion cubic metres or 6.6 percent compared with the same figure in the first nine months of 2019 (53.63 billion cubic metres), also following the greater use of energy efficiency enhancing measures by the residential and tertiary sectors,” said the company.
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