System Operator maintains forecast for growth of 1%-1.5% in Russian energy consumption this year

MOSCOW. April 20 (Interfax) - JSC System Operator has retained the forecast for growth of 1%-1.5% in electricity consumption this year, System Operator CEO Fyodor Opadchy said at a meeting on the results of the heating season.

"We have retained it for the time being," Opadchy said when answering the relevant question from Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov.

Opadchy reported during the meeting that consumption in the Unified Energy System (UES) of Russia had increased 0.7% from the beginning of the year through April 19 "under comparable temperature conditions" to the same period in 2022.

Shulginov earlier told reporters that energy consumption in Russia increased 0.4% year-on-year from January 1 to April 12 2023. The ministry overall expected the upward trend in energy consumption to continue this year.

Energy consumption in Russia totaled 1123.6 billion kWh in 2022. Electricity generation also increased 0.7% year-on-year to 1138.7 billion kWh in 2022.