Peak values for electricity imports and import performance in December 2022.
Vienna (OTS) – In the last few weeks (week 49 – week 52) of 2022, Austria was heavily dependent on electricity imports. Due to the lower production from renewable energies that is typical of the time of year, Austria had to import 1,539 GWh (gigawatt hours) of electricity, despite the relatively warm temperatures. The amount of electricity imported was particularly high on December 21, when we reached a new historic daily high of 100.5 GWh in electricity imports. December 22 also recorded a new high: at midnight, the historically highest 15-minute import capacity of 5,551.6 MW was reached. According to Gerhard Christiner, Technical Director at APG, this import service and the reliable supply to customers were only possible thanks to the full availability of all power lines in the APG grid. This was achieved through an internationally coordinated and security-focused preparation for this winter of crisis.
The tendency to save electricity is still recognizable
In December, 5,649 GWh of electricity were consumed in Austria. Compared to the previous month (5,237 GWh), electricity consumption increased by around eight percent, but compared to the reference value for the years 2017 – 2021, around three percent of electricity was saved. An analysis of the last quarter of 2022 confirms the trend towards careful use of electricity as a resource: from August to November Austria saved almost five percent electricity compared to the average of the past five years.
According to Gerhard Christiner, electricity must continue to be saved: “With the APG Powermonitor, the Austrian population can see the most effective hours of electricity savings and make an active contribution. Due to the general, challenging overall energy situation, saving electricity remains the order of the day. It is gratifying that in the last few months of 2022, all consumers were able to make a significant contribution to reducing electricity consumption and CO2. This also reduced the overall system costs and made a significant contribution to ensuring system security.
Tips for saving electricity can be found at apg.at/stromspartipps or on the website of the Ministry of Climate, mission11.at. You can find the APG Power Monitor at: www.apg.at/powermonitor.
Interventions in the power grid necessary for 18 days in December 2022
With the increasing demands on the overall electricity system, the lack of grid capacities is also becoming apparent. With the growth and increased integration of renewable energy sources and the increasing electrification of business, industry and society, the demands on the power grid are constantly increasing. The existing network infrastructure does not have the necessary capacities for these challenges in ever increasing periods of time. Therefore, regular redispatch measures must be taken to avoid bottlenecks in the power grid and to ensure the country’s secure power supply. High line loads are counteracted by targeted interventions in the use of thermal and hydraulic power plants.
“In December alone, such interventions were necessary on 18 days. This causes costs that ultimately have to be paid by the electricity customer. At the end of the year, the costs for the year caused by redispatch measures for Austrian electricity customers were around 94 million euros. A powerful power grid with sufficient capacity would significantly reduce the intervention in power plant operation and reduce costs. The immediate expansion of the network infrastructure therefore has top priority,” emphasizes Thomas Karall, CFO of APG.
The current developments in electricity and energy prices as well as the geopolitical developments in Ukraine show how important a rapid and secure transformation to a sustainable energy system is. This requires immediate overall system planning, appropriate capacities in the areas of networks, storage, production and comprehensive digitization to use the flexibilities of all players in the system. All of this must be done immediately. The acceleration and simplification of approval procedures are a key lever. With its investment program of around 3.5 billion euros for the expansion of the electricity infrastructure, APG ensures that Austria’s transmission grid is made fit for the success of the energy transition and sustainable security of supply for all Austrians.
Renewable energies share of electricity coverage at 54 percent
In December 2022, electricity generation from renewable energies was able to cover around 54 percent of domestic electricity consumption. Hydropower accounted for the lion’s share of this, accounting for around 71 percent of renewable energies in Austria. Electricity production from wind power increased by an incredible 66 percent compared to the previous month.
Energy exchange within Austria
APG’s supra-regional power grid is essential for Austria’s secure power supply. The federal states can feed surplus electricity into the APG grid via the respective distribution grid and thus make it usable throughout Austria. If a federal state has too little electricity, it can obtain the electricity it needs from the APG grid.
The federal states with the largest feed-in into the APG grid in December were Burgenland (127 GWh) and Lower Austria (124 GWh), while, for example, the “industrial state” Styria (363 GWh) and Carinthia (358 GWh) generated the most electricity from the removed the network.
APG continuously monitors the development of the domestic electricity industry and regularly publishes graphics on the topics: energy exchange, electricity consumption in Austria, electricity generation from renewable sources, import/export, electricity prices and much more at www.apg.at/infographics
About Austrian Power Grid (APG)
As an independent transmission system provider, Austrian Power Grid (APG) is responsible for the secure power supply Austria. With our powerful and digital power infrastructure, as well as the application of State-of-the-art-Technologien we integrate renewable energies, are a platform for the electricity market, create access to inexpensive electricity for Austria’s consumers and thus form the basis for a secure supply and sustainable business and living location. The APG network extends over a route length of around 3,400 km, which the company operates and maintains with a team of around 733 specialists and constantly adapts to the increasing requirements of the electrification of society, economy and industry. In 2022, too, thanks to the committed employees, the security of supply was 99.99 percent and thus among the best in the world. Our investments of 490 million euros in 2023 (2022: 370 million euros) are economic engine and an essential building block for achieving Austria’s climate and energy goals. In total, APG will invest around 3.5 billion euros in grid expansion and conversion by 2032. That is around 19 percent of the total of 18 billion euros that the e-business will invest in the network infrastructure over the next ten years.
Questions & contact:
Austrian Power Grid AG
Mag. Christoph Schuh
Head of Corporate Communications & Reputation
Management/Corporate Spokesperson
+43 50 320 56230
christoph.shoe@apg.at
www.apg.at