On Wednesday 31 May, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) published its outlook for summer 2023 in terms of energy supply in Europe.
The report indicates that no adequacy risk has been identified for the summer of 2023 in Europe, with the exception of Ireland. The risk in Ireland relates to a significant planned shutdown of conventional generation in Northern Ireland, which may exceed 600 MW. The adequacy situation in Ireland will depend on operational conditions, in particular unplanned outages of the ageing generation fleet and wind generation.
Residual risks have also been identified on certain isolated Mediterranean islands, such as Malta, Cyprus and Crete. These risks may arise in the event of unforeseen interruptions to the generation fleet and adverse weather conditions, when demand is high and the production of electricity from renewable sources is limited.
Looking back, last winter was favourable in terms of weather conditions and hydroelectricity stock. Significantly colder than average temperatures were only recorded in December in northern Europe, but this coincided with periods of lower electricity consumption due to the holidays. In addition, measures were taken to save energy in response to high electricity prices in Europe.
In Ukraine, despite regular attacks on the electricity infrastructure, a good balance and stability of the system has been maintained thanks to the support of the continental European transmission system operators (TSOs). Preparations for the winter of 2023-2024 are underway, with a more confident outlook than before.
To read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/77x (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)