In March, the upward trend of gas that had started in October 2024 has stopped. However, gas consumption in the first quarter of 2025 (20.86 TWh) was the highest compared to the same quarter of all previous years (+ 28.7% year-on-year), mainly due to the increase in gas use in electricity. For the fifth consecutive month, LNG continued its resurgence with a 52.2% share in the first quarter of 2025, in contrast to last year’s quarter where Russian gas dominated with a 43.3% share.
Consumption
March
According to the latest available data from DESFA, in March 2025 the upward trend of gas that had started in October 2024 has stopped. At 5.32 TWh, March consumption was the lowest of 2025, after two consecutive months of consecutive historic highs.
The year-on-year increase in March was just 0.6% (+0.03 TWh). Growth was recorded in two of the three uses, electricity (+0.11 TWh or 3.4%) and distribution networks (+0.15 TWh or +12.5%). In contrast, industry recorded a decrease (-0.23 TWh or -25%).
First three months of the year
Cumulatively in the first quarter of 2025, total gas consumption was 20.86 TWh, the highest quarterly consumption of all previous years[1]. This is due to the very high consumption in the first two months of 2025.
An increase of 28.7% (+4.65 TWh) was recorded compared to the same quarter in 2024 (16.21 TWh). The picture in terms of gas growth for the quarter is the same as for the month of March. The biggest impact was the very large increase in gas use in electricity (+4.33 TWh or +48.1%). This was followed by a very small increase in networks (+0.69 TWh or +14.5%), while industry saw a decrease (-0.37 TWh or -14.6%).
In terms of shares in total consumption in the first quarter of 2025, electricity covered more than 60% (63.9% or 13.33 TWh). This was followed by grids with a share of 25.9% (5.4 TWh) and finally industry with 10.2% or 2.13 TWh).
Imports
March
Total imports in March were 5.3 TWh, while exports from the IGB (Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria) exiting at Komotini and from Sidirokastro were zero.
With 2.94 TWh, the first source of imports was liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Agia Triada gate, while no imports were recorded from the Amfitriti gate[2], due to a technical problem that the terminal has been facing since the last days of January. Since then, Gastrade has not come back with an official announcement on the timetable for the reopening of the terminal.
Imports from the Sidirokastro gate were lowest (1.43 TWh), and in fact were the second lowest in five years for the month of March, after 2023 (0.28 TWh). Even lower were imports of Azeri gas from TAP via the New Meridian gate at 0.92 TWh.
Imports through the fifth gateway at Kipoi continue to be zero since January 2024.
First three months of the year
As for the first quarter of 2025, total gas imports were 21.05 TWh. The first source of imports was LNG from the two entry gates (Agia Triada and Amphitrite) with a share of 52.2% (10.98 TWh). The second source was Russian gas from the Sidirokastro gate with 35.1% (7.4 TWh), followed by Azeri gas with a share of 12.7% (2.67 TWh).
This ranking is different from that in the first quarter of 2024, where the first source of imports was Russian gas with a share of 43.3% (7.04 TWh), while the second source was LNG with 39.4% (6.4 TWh).
Greece’s dependence on Russian gas
Fossil gas from Russia is imported into Greece in two different forms, either as gas through the Turkstream pipeline from the Sidirokastro gateway or in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG). For the first time, imports of Russian LNG were recorded in October 2022.
By mid-2023, Russian gas in total (from pipeline and LNG) became the first source of imports, reversing the trend set after the invasion of Russia to Ukraine and up to that point, when LNG from other countries had been a leading source. This trend was maintained for all the following months, until October 2024. A month later, in November, Russian gas dropped to second place, which continued until March 2025. It is worth noting that since November 2024, Russian gas has been entering only by pipeline, while imports in the form of LNG are zero[3].
[1] Since 2008 data recorded at DESFA
[2] FSRU Alexandroupolis.
[3] Until February, when the latest data are published by Eurostat.