Consumers are reassured they will not face blackouts triggered by the record high energy demand from air-conditioning units working overtime during the sweltering summer.
As Cyprus enters a second week of extremely high temperatures, the Transmission System Operator (TSO) announced that energy demand on Monday equalled the record of 1240 MW, recorded in July 2021.
TSO’s Deputy Director of Operations and Personnel, Harry Zavallis, told news site Stockwatch that the record could be broken in the coming days as soaring temperatures persist.
Zavallis said the system is coping with heightened demand but could come under strain should it suffer serious damage to its distribution network.
Demand reached 1240 MW between 2 pm and 4 pm on Monday.
Signs that demand was heading for an all-time high were evident earlier on Monday at 10:45 am; the TSO had said that demand was at 1119 MW, expected to rise to 1200 by noon.
The previous highest demand for this year was recorded a week ago when demand reached 1151 MW at 2.30 pm.
Zavallis assured that the system could handle increased demand, noting that renewable energy sources have been produced, with an estimated capacity of 350 MW during the hottest hours of the day.
A capacity problem is not expected unless there is some unforeseen major damage to the system.
He assured, however, that the administrator is on hand and monitors the system 24 hours a day so that any problems can be dealt with immediately.
Cyprus’ electricity production from compatible fuels can reach a maximum 1271 megawatts, while RES can produce another 550 MW.
Demand on Sunday, July 23, peaked at 1006 megawatts at 5:00 pm, compared to the previous Sunday, which was 957 megawatts at 15:30.
Cyprus has been sweltering under high temperatures since July 13, when the island was hit by the first heatwave of the summer, as the Met Office warned that temperatures will not drop before the end of July.
Temperatures on July 15 peaked at 44 degrees Celsius, while on Monday, the maximum reached 43°C.
High temperatures prompted the Health Ministry to advise the public to avoid frequent sun exposure and stay indoors, preferably in air-conditioned spaces.
The fire department has issued a red alert for wildfires.
