In the 1^st quarter of 2021

Electricity production decreased by 7.7% year-on-year

In the 1^st quarter of 2021, the electricity production, estimated from the data on the distribution of electric energy provided by the Electricity Company of Madeira, decreased by 7.7% year-on-year.

This result reflects the effects of the restricitive measures to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemics. In January, the distribution of electricity dropped by 5.1% year-on-year, a decline that became more pronounced in February, 13.1%, while in March it decreased by 5.0%.

Breaking down the data by source it should be highlighted that, compared to the first quarter of 2020, the electricity generated by thermal power, solid waste power and photovoltaics decreased by 29.4%, 11.0% and 2.4%, respectively. This decline was compensated by the growth in production through other sources, mainly by hydropower (+245.0%) and wind power (+10.4%). Consequently, the share of distributed energy using thermal source went from 74.6% in 1^st quarter of 2020 to 57.0% in the reference period, which means that the production of renewable energy has increased to a share of 43.0% in 1^st quarter of 2021 (25.4% year-on-year).

It should also be mentioned that the production of electric energy using natural gas represented 18.5% of the total production mix, despite the 11.0% decrease year-on-year.

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