Heat: 37% less electricity than hydro

Prolonged periods of hot weather, which were already marked in July, continued into August and led to a further decrease in Austrian electricity production from hydropower. Compared to August 2021, 37 percent less electricity was produced than the river’s running capacity this year, Austrian Power Grid Transmission System (APG) operator announced today. Austria covered only about 77 percent of its electricity, with the rest having to be imported.

“Climate changes are making energy management difficult for us across Europe, but also in Austria,” Gerhard Christener, APG Technical Director, said, according to the broadcast. According to the researchers, extreme weather events, such as prolonged drought in the summer of 2022, will become more frequent and intense as a result of climate change.

In the past, Austria was able to export electricity regularly even in summer. In 2021, the export balance for August was about 257 GWh. Due to the persistent drought in August of this year, this picture “completely shifted” and Austria was forced to purchase 958 GWh of electricity abroad. Meanwhile, electricity production from wind power increased by 35 percent, which did not make up for the shortfall in hydropower.