Electricity: consumption peaks at 55 GW – a record for 2026. Power cuts continue
Terna’s figures: +4.4% over the past week. The all-time high remains at 60.5 GW, recorded in 2015
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Key points
A week of record-breaking heat, with high temperatures causing electricity consumption in Italia to soar: +4.4% over the last seven days. This marks a sharp increase following a month of June in which electricity demand remained broadly stable compared with the previous year (19.4 TWh, +0.1%), as confirmed by Terna. On 23 June, according to figures from the group led by Pasqualino Monti, consumption peaked at 55 GW – the highest figure so far in 2026: a 15 per cent increase compared with May. Despite these days of high temperatures and consumption peaks, the national electricity transmission grid is holding up well.
The all-time high for daily electricity consumption remains the 60.5 GW recorded in 2015. In recent years, peak consumption – following an increase from 56.1 GW on 8 July 2021 to 57.78 GW on 25 July 2022 and 58.87 GW on 19 July 2023 – have stood at 56.98 GW on 28 July 2024 and 55.54 GW on 2 July 2025, in line with the figures from the day before yesterday.
The various power cuts
High demand, driven by the use of air-conditioners, and persistently high temperatures are putting pressure on the country’s electricity infrastructure. In many parts of Italia, power cuts linked to faults in the distribution networks have been reported in recent days. Turin and Naples (where the local council has urged residents to limit their electricity use) have been the hardest-hit areas, but there have also been disruptions in the Milan hinterland, such as in Sesto San Giovanni and San Giuliano Milanese, in Brianza, and in Pavia, in the Como area. Yesterday, reports also came in from Pescara and Jesolo (Venice).
Demand up 40% in Turin
Also yesterday, the Mayor of Turin, Stefano Lo Russo, issued an order stating that ‘it is necessary for the electricity distributor within the municipal area, Ireti SpA, must immediately review and update its emergency management plans, procedures and organisational models, in order to ensure the swiftest possible identification and resolution of faults and the quickest possible restoration of the electricity supply’.
The company (part of the Iren Group) replied that it had declared a state of emergency internally from 19 June, and previously from 24 May to 8 June. In recent hours, partly as a result of the order, Ireti has been further increasing the number of technicians, bringing the total to around 150, available 24 hours a day.
