BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 7. Snam reported a decline in natural gas injected into Italy’s national transportation network over the first nine months of 2024, with volumes reaching 46.33 billion cubic meters -down by 2.70 billion cubic meters, or 5.5%, from the same period in 2023, Trend reports.
This reduction is attributed primarily to a decrease in both domestic demand and export levels, the producer explained.
Domestic gas demand totaled 43.18 billion cubic meters, marking a 2.7% decrease compared to last year. Key factors behind this decline include reduced consumption in the thermoelectric sector, which saw a drop of 5% (equivalent to 0.97 billion cubic meters). This sector shift was largely driven by increased hydroelectric production due to heavy rainfall and higher output from renewable energy sources.
The residential and commercial sectors also contributed to the decrease, consuming 0.25 billion cubic meters less gas, a 1.6% drop from 2023. This reduction was linked to milder weather, particularly during the winter months. Meanwhile, industrial gas demand held steady, increasing slightly by 1% (0.08 billion cubic meters).
After adjusting for weather impacts, gas demand totaled 44.70 billion cubic meters—down only 0.4% from the same period in 2023. Snam attributed the slight decrease in adjusted demand to the conclusion of gas demand containment measures enacted in early 2023 and an improved consumer price environment.