The electricity consumption of large and medium-sized companies fell 2.5% in March compared with the same month the previous year, according to data from the Red Eléctrica Index (IRE). Broken down by sector, industrial consumption decreased 3.6% and consumption in the services sector fell 1.5%. The effects of seasonal and working patterns were factored in when calculating this data.

According to the IRE, in the last twelve months, the electricity consumption of these companies, once the effects of seasonal and working patterns were factored in, has increased by 1.3% over the same period last year. By sector, industrial consumption rose by 1.5% and the services sector fell by 0.5%.

Compared to March 2015, of the five activities with the highest electricity demand the metallurgy industry decreased by 8.2%, the chemical industry by 1.9%, the manufacturing industry for other non-metallic mineral products increased by 0.2%, the food industry fell by 3.5% and the paper industry by 0.5%.

The activities that contributed most to the growth in consumption of large companies in March were the collection, purification and distribution of water, with an increase of 21.2%, agriculture, livestock and hunting (15.4%), the manufacturing of electric material and equipment (6.2%), the hospitality industry (6%) and the extraction of metallic minerals (26.2%).

The monthly electricity consumption data of each of the economic activities can be found in more detail in the IRE section of the Red Eléctrica website.

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