In the Czech Republic, an increase in gas consumption was recorded in the third quarter of this year. This was reported by the Energy Regulatory Authority (ERÚ).
It should be noted that the increase was recorded for the first time in the last three years. The country’s inhabitants consumed 887 million cubic meters of natural gas, 1.8% more than in the same period last year. The main reason was a colder than usual start to autumn, especially September. The largest increase in consumption was seen among households, more than 20% compared to last year. Small business owners increased consumption by 18.5% and average consumers by more than 10%. However, large consumers, which represent around 72% of total consumption, reduced their volumes by 2.1%.
However, as ERÚ points out, despite the growth in the third quarter, total gas consumption in the Czech Republic remains at the level of the 90s and close to the minimum levels of the last 30 years. For comparison, in the third quarter of 2020, before the steady decline in consumption began, the Czech Republic consumed around 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas, 40% more than in the current year.
In addition, ERÚ statistics reflect changes in European gas flows after 2022. In the third quarter of this year, gas exports from the Czech Republic abroad decreased compared to last year by 51.7%, amounting to 155 million cubic meters. In 2021, this figure was almost 14 times higher: about 2.2 billion cubic meters.
