Turkey's monthly natural gas imports reached historic highs of 6.21 billion cubic meters (bcm) in January 2018, data from Turkish energy watchdog revealed.
In January 2018, natural gas imports increased by 5.1 bcm compared to January 2017, according to official information gathered by Anadolu Agency.
A drought reduced hydropower generation resulting in the country substituting power production from combined natural gas cycle power plants.
Total power production from hydro electricity power plants, including hydroelectric dams and run-of-the-river stations, decreased by 18 percent to 4.6 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in January compared to 5.6 billion kWh in January 2017.
The country increased electricity production from natural gas by 19 percent to 8.9 billion kWh in January 2018 compared to the same month in 2017.
Due to the output growth of combined natural gas cycle power plants, natural gas consumption for electricity production increased by 27 percent to 1.8 bcm in January 2018 up from 1.4 bcm in January 2017.
Turkey's share of natural gas for electricity generation increased to 29.2 percent in January 2018 from 22 percent the previous January.
Higher temperatures, above the seasonal norms last winter, decreased household natural gas consumption in the country.
Turkey's residential gas consumption decreased by 17.6 percent to 2.5 bcm in January 2018, compared to 3 bcm in January last year.
The country's total natural gas consumption, including residential consumption, electricity production, industrial demand and other gas demands, increased by 4.1 percent to 6.16 bcm in January 2018, compared to the same period last year.
By Muhsin Baris Tiryakioglu
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr