In January 2025, the upward trend of fossil gas, which had started in October 2024, continued. In fact, production from fossil gas increased by 57.5% year-on-year in January. The large increase in gas was mainly channeled into exports, while it also made up for the reduced production of renewables. The average monthly wholesale electricity price in January was €135.1/MWh, up 45.3% compared to January 2024.
This analysis concerns electricity production across the whole territory of Greece and is based on the latest available monthly data from the Independent Power Transmission Operator (January 2025) for the interconnected grid and from the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) for the non-interconnected islands (December 2024). In addition, we use the most recent data from HEDNO for low and medium voltage, as well as for the installed capacity of self-production systems (August 2024). The data from DAPEEP’s Renewable Energy Special Account bulletin up to December 2024 are used to calculate more accurately CHP production at low and medium voltage, as well as for the PV utilization factors needed to estimate self-production. You can read in more detail about our methodology here.
In January 2025 the upward trend of fossil gas, which had begun in October 2024, continued. At 2,346 GWh, gas production was the second highest since January 2024, with the highest in July 2024 (2,410 GWh). At the same time, the highest lignite production (511 GWh) since July 2023 (591 GWh) was recorded.
On the other hand, RES (wind and photovoltaic) with 1,790 GWh in January 2025, continued the downward trend that had started since October.
For the fourth consecutive month the country was a net exporter with 382 GWh, lower of course than the previous two months (November-December 2024).
Comparing January 2025 with the corresponding month of the previous 10 years, it is noted that fossil gas had the highest production. In fact, it climbed to the first place, surpassing production from renewables. This figure existed until 2022, while in the last two years (2023-2024) RES held the lead for the month of January.
In third place in the first month of the year was lignite (511 GWh), reaching 2022 levels, followed by large hydro with 260 GWh.
January 2025 was the second time in the last decade that net exports were recorded for this month, following January 2021 (80 GWh).
Electricity demand in the country was 4,769 GWh in January 2025, down slightly (-1.4%) from January 2024.
Fossil gas dominated the demand with a 49.2% share, which was the largest share for the month of January in the last decade. Renewables (wind and photovoltaic) followed with a share of 37.5%. Even when aggregated with large hydro (5.4%), clean energy (42.9%) failed to surpass the share of gas.
Lignite, with a share of 10.7% came after renewables, while oil in the non-interconnected islands made the smallest contribution (5.1%).
Comparing January 2025 with January 2024, it is observed that the large increase in fossil gas (+856 GWh) and the much smaller increase in lignite (+120 GWh) mainly compensated for the large decrease in net imports (-544 GWh) and the smaller decrease in RES (-405 GWh). A much smaller decrease was recorded in large hydro (-107 GWh), while a decrease was also recorded in domestic demand (-66 GWh).
The large increase in fossil gas was therefore largely channeled into exports, while it also covered the reduced RES production. The average monthly wholesale electricity price in January was €135.1/MWh, up 45.3% year-on-year in January (€93/MWh).
The corresponding percentage changes in January 2025, compared to January 2024, were:
Lignite: +30.6%
Fossil gas: +57.5%
Renewables: -18.5%
Large hydro: -29.2%
Net imports: -336.1%
Oil: +6.2%
Demand: -1.4%
In January 2025, fossil fuels cumulatively with 3,100 GWh (fossil gas, lignite and oil), exceeded clean energy with 2,049 GWh (wind, photovoltaic, large hydro, biomass and self-production). In fact, their difference is close to the 2020 levels.
This came after 2 years (2023-2024) where clean energy exceeded fossil fuels production for the month of January. The main reason for this reversal is the very large increase in fossil gas.
According to the forecasts of the consolidated planning process published daily by ADMIE, curtailments were almost zero in January 2025 (0.6 GWh). Besides, as last year, during the first two months of the year, curtailments are limited or zero due to the low RES production.