In a statement, REN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais, the company responsible for the global management of national electricity and natural gas systems, said that in December, energy consumption showed a positive trend, with a year-on-year variation of 1.4 percent, in a variation "influenced by the lower temperatures this year [of 2020].

According to REN, in December the hydroelectric production index "remained close to the average regime," registering 0.95 (historical average equal to 1).

In wind production, "conditions were more favourable," with the respective index at 1.15 (historical average of 1).

In the last month of the year, renewable production supplied 7 percent of consumption, while non-renewable production was responsible for 26 percent and the balance of trade with abroad supplied the remaining 2 percent.

The natural gas market fell 4.3 percent year-on-year in December, with the conventional segment growing 0.3 percent and the power generation segment falling 16 percent.

In 2020, natural gas consumption totalled around 66,900 GWh (Gigawatt-hour), a negative variation of 1.6 percent compared to the previous year, with the conventional segment falling 4.5 percent and the power generation segment growing 3.8 percent.