Electricity consumption, +2.1% in February. Renewables grow by 27.8%

Electricity, a new increase in national demand in February: with 25.4 billion kWh there was a +2.1% change compared to the same month last year. Among the clean sources, wind production was the main one, with 2.8 billion kWh, surpassing both photovoltaic and hydroelectric. Overall, production from renewable sources increased by 27.8%. This is what emerges from the usual Terna survey.

During the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, from 6 to 22 February, the primary cabins serving the Olympic areas recorded a marked increase in energy exchanges: +38% compared to the same period in 2025, with peaks of up to 50% on the days of the most popular competitions.

This result highlights the solidity and reliability of the national electricity system, which is able to support an international event by guaranteeing continuity and quality of service in the territories involved. To support the needs of the Games, Terna has invested over 300 million euros in upgrading the electricity grid in the regions involved.

In February, the Imcei index (monthly index of industrial electricity consumption) compiled by Terna, which examines the industrial consumption of around 1,000 energy-intensive companies, recorded an increase of 4.6%, marking the sixth consecutive month of growth. The iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, and ceramics and glass sectors are positive. Cement, lime and gypsum, paper, mechanics and chemicals declined, while food and transport equipment were stable.

In February, domestic production covered 83.5% of electricity demand, while 16.5% was met by the balance of energy exchanged with foreign countries. Net domestic production, at 21.5 billion kWh, grew by 2.5%. The foreign balance increased by 3.2 %, driven by a substantially stable import and a 37.6 % decrease in export.