Cyprus’ electricity system can cover the sharp rise in demand driven by extreme heat, provided no generation units suffer breakdowns, the Transmission System Operator has said.
On Monday, demand reached 1,156 megawatts at 2:30 p.m., and remained relatively high at 921 MW around 8 p.m.
However, the continuous operation of units under high temperatures increases the likelihood of faults. Any unexpected outage could force the operator to issue public appeals to reduce consumption or, if necessary, implement rotating load shedding to balance supply and demand.
Renewables have recently covered up to 70% of demand for extended periods, though their contribution has dropped to around 60% during the latest heat spell.
At 2:30 p.m. Monday, 394 MW of the 1,156 MW total demand came from conventional units, with the rest supplied by renewables. By 8 p.m., conventional generation covered 896 MW of the 921 MW demand.
The most recent demand record was set on July 22, 2024, at 1,294 MW. With this summer’s peak forecast between 1,260 and 1,300 MW, Kousiappa said it is possible the record will be surpassed.
