Energy consumption in the Czech Republic rose last year, driven by colder weather and lower prices

Energy consumption in the Czech Republic began to rise last year, with Czechs using more electricity, gas and heat. Gas use saw the sharpest increase compared with the year before last, rising 6.5 percent year on year. Lower temperatures were the main factor, but falling energy prices also played a role. The increase in consumption was particularly evident among households. Energy production and transit also grew. Representatives of the Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) told reporters today.

Last year thus definitively reversed the trend of previous years, when energy consumption had fallen sharply, especially as a result of the energy crisis and rising prices. Consumption of electricity, gas and heat all grew by several percent. "Growth was driven mainly by smaller customers, including households and small businesses. Both falling prices and lower temperatures had an impact," said ERÚ chairman Jan Šefránek.

According to the regulator's data, net electricity consumption rose 1.8 percent year on year last year to 59 terawatt-hours (TWh). The energy sector recorded the most significant increase among households, which raised their electricity consumption by 6.5 percent. Consumption also grew among businesses, by 1.9 percent year on year. At the high-voltage level, demand changed little compared with the year before last, with consumption rising 0.2 percent year on year. By contrast, large consumers connected to the extra-high-voltage grid used 2.9 percent less electricity.

In line with rising consumption, electricity generation also increased, by 3.2 percent year on year to 76.25 TWh. The Czech Republic remained a net exporter last year as a result. The cross-border balance, or the difference between exports and imports, rose year on year from 6.7 TWh to 7.4 TWh last year. The most electricity was generated from nuclear power, at 32.1 TWh, followed by lignite at 25.2 TWh and photovoltaics at 4.3 TWh.

Gas consumption rose 6.5 percent year on year last year to a total of 7.2 billion cubic metres (78.9 TWh). According to the ERÚ, colder weather contributed significantly to this. While the average annual temperature was 10.5 degrees the year before last, it was 1.5 degrees lower last year.

All customer groups contributed to the increase. Households raised their gas use by 9.9 percent year on year and businesses by 9.3 percent. Consumption among medium-sized customers increased by 6.4 percent compared with the year before last, while large customers recorded a 3.4 percent rise.

Gas flows nevertheless remained significantly lower last year than before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, while being tens of percent higher than in 2024. Some 8.5 billion cubic metres flowed into Czech gas pipelines, almost 40 percent more year on year. Outflows totalled 1.3 billion cubic metres, nearly four times more than a year earlier.

Consumption of district heating also rose, by 3.4 percent to 68.2 petajoules (PJ). Growth was mainly driven by the commerce, services, education and healthcare sectors, as well as households. Czech heating plants generated a total of 137 PJ, up 3.1 percent year on year. Generation from natural gas and biomass in particular increased. However, lignite remains the main source of heat production, accounting for one-third of the heat generated last year.