In a surprising turn of events, the Czech Republic has witnessed increased gas consumption for the first time in three years. The Energy Regulatory Office (ERÚ) reported that Czechs consumed 887 million cubic meters of natural gas during the third quarter of this year, marking a 1.8 per cent year-on-year increase.
The primary factor behind this uptick was the cooler September temperatures. Stanislav Trávníček, Chairman of the ERÚ Council, explained, “While the hot summer months had virtually no impact on natural gas consumption, the cooler September significantly influenced the overall statistics. The increase in consumption was mainly evident in households and other categories that use gas for heating, among other purposes.”
Despite this recent increase, overall gas consumption remains at levels comparable to those of the 1990s, representing a 30-year low. To put this in perspective, in the third quarter of 2020, before the consistent decline began, Czechs consumed 1.2 billion cubic meters of gas—almost 40 per cent more than this year.
The breakdown of consumption patterns reveals exciting trends. Households saw the most significant increase, with consumption rising by more than a fifth. Small business consumers used 18.5 per cent more gas, followed by medium-consumption categories with over a 10 per cent increase. In contrast, large consumers, who account for nearly 72 per cent of total consumption, reduced their usage by 2.1 per cent.
The statistics also reflect the broader changes in European gas flows following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Specifically, there has been a reduction in commodity transport through Czech territory. In the third quarter of this year, 51.7 per cent less gas flowed out of the Czech gas system to foreign countries than last year, totalling 155 million cubic meters. This decline is even more stark compared to two years ago, when the outflow was nearly 2.2 billion cubic meters in the same period.