Low Nordic reservoir levels impact generation
Reservoir levels across the combined Nordic area of Norway, Sweden and Finland, were 13.1 percentage points lower than the long-term median in Week 3, figures from Nordic power exchange Nord Pool revealed on Wednesday. The deficit was up from 11.3 percentage points the previous week.
Stocks for the area fell to 50.9% fullness - a week-on-week decline of 3.4 percentage points - which equated to a total hydropower generation capacity of 61.7TWh.
Stock levels have plunged by 10.5 percentage points in the three weeks of this year, causing Norwegian grid operator Statnett to warn large-scale industrial power customers across the country that they may have to cut consumption (see EDEM 26 January 2010).
Norwegian stocks declined by 3.2 percentage points week-on-week to reach 54.4% fullness (see graph), compared with the long-term median from 1990-2007 of 65.1%. This equated to a total hydropower generation capacity of 44.5TWh.
In Sweden the decline was more pronounced. Stocks dropped by 3.8 percentage points week-on-week to reach 43.1% fullness which equated to a total hydropower generation capacity of 14.5TWh.
Stocks in Finland, which is less reliant on hydropower than its Nordic neighbours, recorded a decline of 2.4 percentage points week on week to reach 47.6% fullness, which equated to a total hydropower generation capacity of 2.6TWh.
A low flow into the reservoirs this winter due to dry conditions, combined with a high level of flow out of the reservoirs due to high demand for power amid cold conditions, has resulted in the below-average reservoir levels. JS
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