Czech grid balance exceeded 3.6 TWh in Q1, helped by higher nuclear generation

The Czech grid recorded a negative balance of 3.6 TWh in the first quarter. This is the highest figure since the first quarter of 2015, when net electricity exports reached 4.7 TWh. The main reason for the increase in exports is consistently high generation at nuclear power plants. 

Thanks to a stronger first quarter, the Czech Republic could again achieve a full-year Czech grid balance of around -14 TWh, as the balance has remained relatively high in the current quarter as well. From 1 April to 8 May, net exports had already exceeded 2.2 TWh. Last year, the grid balance was “only” -10.9 TWh.

Traditionally, the largest volumes of electricity from the Czech Republic flow to Austria and Slovakia. Both countries have an electricity balance with the Czech Republic slightly exceeding 3 TWh. An interesting feature of the balance with Austria is that electricity flowed in only one direction throughout the quarter; in not a single hour during the first three months did electricity flow from Austria into the Czech Republic.

Detailed information on the grid balance and current electricity generation can be found on the energostat from oEnergetice.cz.

The situation is the opposite on the country’s northern and western borders. Electricity flowed almost continuously into the Czech Republic from Poland (a negative balance of 2 TWh). The situation is variable on the border with Germany, with which the Czech Republic has a positive balance of around 0.3 TWh.

The high balance was mainly driven by high nuclear electricity generation, which consistently remained above 3 GW. At the beginning of the year, when only one unit at Dukovany was offline, output exceeded 3.6 GW. In total, nuclear power plants generated 7.1 TWh in the first quarter.

Although generation at nuclear power plants is currently relatively high, it is necessary to expect outages at nuclear power plants during the summer months, affecting one unit at Temelín and two units at Dukovany. Even with the aforementioned outages, however, this year should again be better in terms of the Czech grid balance than previous years.