MADRID (Reuters) -Spain keeps burning more gas to produce electricity and help keep its power grids stable after a major blackout on April 28, gas grid operator Enagas said on Tuesday, boosting the country’s overall gas demand.
Conventional power plants like gas-fired combined cycle plants provide more stability to the grid’s voltage than renewable sources such as wind farms and photovoltaic panels.
Gas demand to generate electricity soared almost 37% in the first nine months of the year. In addition, Spain exported more natural gas, in particular to neighbouring France, which needed more gas to fill its underground storages and maintain its regasification terminals, the company said.
Overall, Spain’s gas demand rose 6.6% from the same period last year, reaching the equivalent of 267.6 terawatt-hours.
(Reporting by Pietro Lombardi)