Natural gas demand in Spain reached its highest since 2012 on January 18, standing at 1,502 GWh, gas grid operator Enagas said.
That topped the previous highest demand level of 1,445 GWh on December 16, Enagas said, adding that was on the back of a wave of cold weather in the country. Previously, higher demand had only been seen in February 2012, when a cold snap affected most of Europe leading to record-high consumption of natural gas for heating.
Gas-for-power demand stood at 272.9 GWh, demonstrating “the fundamental role of natural gas” particularly in a context of low hydro production, the grid operator said.
Demand for households, businesses and industries consumption reached 1,229.2 GWh, which represents the fourth highest recorded historical value, only surpassed by levels seen on February 3, 8 and 13, 2012, it underlined.
Enagas stressed the “key” role of underground storage sites and regasification plants, adding that storage facilities in particular have been leveraged in order to cope with the increased demand amid lower gas imports from Algeria.
Enagas added new highs might be reached in the coming days, amid an ongoing cold snap in the country.