French gas consumption fell by 11.4% in 2023 to 381 terawatt hours (TWh) due to the cumulative effects of a persistent mild climate, changes in behavior and the maintenance of energy savings following the war in Ukraine, according to a report published Tuesday by GRTgaz.
The drop in consumption of public distribution (households, tertiary and small industry), adjusted for climate, reached 6.5% at 253 TWh, the operator of the majority of the French gas transport network said in a press release.
The consumption of industrial customers connected to the GRTgaz network fell by 7.4% (-18% since 2021), while that of gas-fired electricity production plants plunged by more than 40% for return to its 2021 level, notably due to better availability of EDF nuclear power plants.
Overall, the drop in French gas consumption reached 20% in two years between 2021 and 2023, said GRTgaz.
The reversal of gas flows in Europe, historically oriented from East to West and today from West to East due to the war in Ukraine, was also confirmed last year.
While liquefied natural gas (LNG) now constitutes 41% of European supplies, France alone represents 22% of European LNG imports, according to the GRTgaz report.
France’s annual renewable gas production capacity reaches 11.8 TWh and the objective of 44 TWh by 2030 “can be achieved”, the operator also indicated.
(Reporting by Benjamin Mallet; edited by Blandine Hénault)