Electricity consumption by industrial users* directly connected to the public transmission network ended the year at 61.9 TWh*, down more than 10% from 2019.
Productive activity in heavy industry was substantially affected by the health crisis, as government measures caused a number of production sites to shut down. Industry was also negatively impacted by the stoppage of distribution channels, lower demand for manufactured goods, absenteeism, and supply chain problems resulting from the lockdown.
Total activity in heavy industry plummeted in the wake of the first lockdown starting on 18 March, and was down by about 30% relative to pre-crisis levels in April. Industrial activity gradually picked up thereafter, but did not return to normal levels.
* including self-consumption but excluding losses, seasonally adjusted
Electricity consumption at industrial sites mirrored this trend in productive activity, with particularly notable declines in the car-making and steel industries.
The first lockdown naturally had a direct and immediate impact on consumption in the interurban rail transport segment: in April, it plunged by more than 70% year-on-year. When the lockdown was lifted, the year-on-year shortfall gradually shrank, reaching 9% in August.
The second confinement ordered late in October was less restrictive but also impacted industrial activity. In November, electricity consumption in heavy industry was down 4.5% relative to the same month in 2019. As was the case during the first lockdown, rail transport was the most affected, with consumption dropping by close to 30% in the first two weeks of November.