The network, flows and gas consumption: a confirmed recovery

Christophe Bouvier, Gas System Assistant Director, Jean-Damien Lenoir and Arnaud Chevillon, Sales and Marketing Representatives, and Frédéric Folscheid, Strategic Analyst, provide their insight.

GRTgaz confirms the recovery of gas consumption by industrial customers connected to its network since 30 April 2020. The sectors most heavily impacted by Covid-19 have seen an upturn since mid-May. Sites which had shut down have gradually re-started their consumption (e.g. the automobile sector).

Since the start of June, industrial customers’ consumption has been an average 6% below that of the same period in 2019, versus almost 20% for the end of March and the beginning of April 2020. “Industrial customers are thus gradually returning to the same consumption level as in 2019!” stresses Arnaud Chevillon.

Another positive sign is the trend towards a strong recovery for CCCGs* since the beginning of June. This is explained by competitive gas prices making electricity production from natural gas a profitable enterprise.

*CCCG: Combined-cycle gas turbine plants

Christophe Bouvier reveals that, “Considering the very high filling level of the storage facilities to date (76% filled), it is logical that we see a reduction in the pace of injection during June.”

The flows observed are highly variable. They change in particular according to restrictions linked to works, reduced LNG inflows, and fluctuations in exports to Spain.

Gas exports, for their part, remain at their maximum level in Oltingue (to Switzerland and Italy).