The weeks of September (calendar weeks 36-39) were characterized by an extraordinarily good renewable production (4,693 GWh). On balance, Austria was able to cover its domestic consumption (4,492 GWh) in September with 100 percent renewable energies. The main reason for this was the continuous strong production from run-of-river power plants due to the heavy rainfalls. At 3,272 GWh (gigawatt hours), hydropower accounted for around 70 percent of renewables in September, while wind energy accounted for around 17% (791 GWh). PV feed-in increased by an incredible 76% compared to September of the previous year and contributed a total of 466 GWh, or 10%, of renewables.
Production increase in renewables sets historic export record with 5,406 MW
Due to the good production from renewable energy sources, Austria achieved an electricity surplus, which meant that Austria was able to export electricity on 16 days in September and achieved an export balance of 232 GWh. On September 28, a new historic export maximum of 5,406 MW (based on the netted import/export schedules) was achieved in the 15-minute period from 8:45 pm to 9:00 pm. This exceeded the previous maximum of May 27, 2023 (4,995 MW) by 411 megawatts, thus by eight percent.
No energy transition without a strong electricity grid
A strong grid is necessary to make the volatile, renewable electricity available and to transport it to where it is needed. To avoid grid overloads and ensure a secure supply, the electricity flow is managed with so-called redispatch measures, i.e. the targeted and controlled use of specific power plants.
In September interventions in the schedule of power plants in Austria were necessary on 22 days to ensure the security of the electricity supply. This is 7 days more than the average of the previous eight months (15 days per month in 2024). These interventions cause costs that eventually have to be borne by the electricity customers. By the end of September, these costs amounted to approx. 75.6 million euros.
A negative effect in addition to the costs and rising CO2 consumption is the "curtailment" of renewable power plant production: For example, wind power plants or run-of-river power plants that would be producing electricity at a certain time are shut down to avoid overloads in the electricity grid. Since the beginning of the year, an average of around 5,680 MWh of electricity per month has been "lost" due to these measures (the corresponding figure for September was around 6,930 MWh of electricity; the total from January to September was around 51,125 MWh).
“The installed potential output of renewable electricity is of no use to us if the infrastructure required to distribute the electricity is too weak or non-existent. The targeted use of thermal and hydraulic power plants, as well as the curtailment of renewables to prevent grid overloads, must be both a warning signal and a wake-up call: without a high-capacity and reliable electricity grid, we will not be able to achieve the energy industry’s goals that are necessary for a secure energy transition and at the same time we will experience increasingly negative economic effects”, emphasizes Christoph Schuh, APG’s company spokesperson.
A high-capacity electricity infrastructure, storage facilities, and digital intelligence within the electricity system are necessary to fully capitalize on the planned growth rates of renewables in the coming years. APG's EUR 9 billion investment scheme up to 2034 and its timely implementation is therefore key for achieving the energy transition without jeopardizing the security of supply. The simplification and acceleration of approval procedures are indispensable preconditions in this context.
Energy exchange within Austria
The trans-regional electricity grid of APG facilitates the exchange of energy within the country. Electricity surpluses in individual provinces can thus be distributed throughout Austria to compensate for deficits.
Due to good hydropower and wind power production, Lower Austria (351 GWh) generated the highest energy surplus in September and made it available throughout Austria via the APG grid. Tyrol (239 GWh) generated the second-highest surplus due to its good hydropower production. At 442 GWh, Vienna had to draw the most electricity from the grid alongside Carinthia (119 GWh).
Responsible energy consumption
The available data show that 4,492 GWh of electricity were consumed from the public grid in Austria in September (calendar weeks 36-39) - around nine percent more than in September 2023 (4,140 GWh). This figure is all the more remarkable given that electricity production from private PV units has a dampening effect on the electricity demand.
It is important to act responsibly when it comes to electricity consumption. Saving electricity reduces CO2 and overall systemic costs, which are significant contributions to increasing system security. The trend of reducing CO2 has to be pushed further. This also includes electricity from private PV units.
Tips for saving electricity can be found at www.apg.at/stromspartipps. With the APG Powermonitor, the Austrian population can see the most effective electricity-saving hours and thus make an active contribution to CO2 reduction and system security. The APG Powermonitor can be found at: www.apg.at/powermonitor.
APG continually keeps track of the development of the domestic electricity industry and regularly publishes diagrams at https://www.apg.at/infografiken regarding the topics: energy exchange, energy consumption in Austria, renewables production, import/export, electricity prices, etc.
Click here for the current infographics
About Austrian Power Grid (APG)
As independent transmission system operator Austrian Power Grid (APG) is in charge of ensuring the security of the electricity supply in Austria. With our high-performance and digital electricity infrastructure and the use of state-of-the-art technologies we integrate renewable energies, we are the platform for the electricity market, and we provide access to reasonably priced electricity for Austria’s consumers and thus create the basis for Austria as supply-secure and future-oriented industrial and business location and place to live. The APG grid totals a length of about 3,400 km and is operated, maintained, and continuously adapted to the increasing challenges of the electrification of businesses, industry, and society by a team of approximately 900 specialists. 67 substations are distributed all over Austria and the majority is operated remotely from APG’s control center in Vienna’s 10th district. Thanks to our committed employees Austria had a security of supply of 99.99 percent also in 2023 and thus ranks among the top countries worldwide. Our investments of 445 million euros in 2024 (2023: 490 million euros, 2022: 370 million euros) are a motor for the Austrian economy and a crucial factor in reaching Austria’s climate and energy targets. Until 2034 APG will invest a total of approximately 9 billion euros in grid expansion and renovation projects.
Press contact
Christoph Schuh
