Power consumption fell 4.5% in Q1/2013

Price hike gradually reduces the amount of energy consumed. Final electricity consumption fell in Q1/2013 4.5% compared to the similar period of 2012, to 13.1bn KWh, while electricity resources dropped 3.9%, to 15.7bn KWh, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics. In the analyzed period, public lighting posted a decline of 9.5%, while the population’s consumption decreased by 1.7%. The decline in the electricity resources was mainly caused by the reduced production, which fell 2.5%. Thus, production in thermal power plants plunged 18.4%, to 7.8bn KWh, and production in nuclear power plants – by 2.4%, to 30.17bn KWh. A growth was recorded by production in hydropower stations, by 28.4%, to 33.7bn KWh, and in wind power plants, by 699.4mln KWh, to 1.34bn KWh. Electricity export decreased in January – March 2013 by 4.8%, to 335.9mln KWh. Own technological consumption in networks and stations was 2.28bn KWh, by 0.1% higher. In Q1, primary energy resources fell by 11.7%, to 7.5mln toe. Domestic production totaled 5.4mln toe, down 7.7% against the same period of the previous year, and import stood at 2mln toe, by 20.7% lower.