Energy consumption rises 0.2% in February

The electricity consumption in the country reached 38,593 GWh (gigawatt hour) in February, 0.2% higher than the same month last year. The information was disclosed on Monday by the EPE (energy research company), edition of monthly review of the market of Electric Energy of the month.
To drill down into the performance by sector, the EPE reported that the worst outcome of the industrial consumption, with indentation of 0.9%, registering 13,368 GWh in the month. In addition to one working day less in February this year as compared to the same period last year, the organization commented that there were decreases in the industry''s expectations. The ICI (reliable industry Indicator) released by FGV (Getulio Vargas Foundation) fell 1.2 point, after advancing 4.3 points in January.
There was also less favorable performance in other indicators of economic activity in February. Among those cited by the entity are 4.7% indentation in the demand for credit by the industries, according to Serasa Experian; retraction in disbursements to the BNDES (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social); and industrial production falling trajectory, according to evaluation of CNI (Confederação Nacional da Indústria), among others.
The trade also showed setback, 0.5% in February, to 7,680 GWh. All States recorded a fall in energy consumption, especially in Paraná ( -1.1%), Santa Catarina ( -0.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul ( -0.2%).
"Even if in the month of February have been recorded temperatures up to 7° C above the climatological average in the region, this factor was not enough to compensate for the contraction in the class. Under the economic perspective, the data released by the CNC (National Confederation of the trade) contribute to clarify the drop in electricity consumption, because they realize that in the year 2016 21500 commercial establishments were closed in the southern part of the country, which amounted to approximately 20% of the total, and, according to the CNC, the movement was more intense in the second half of the year " , detailed the EPE.
On the other hand, the residential class showed 0.6 percent expansion in electricity consumption, in February this year compared with the same month last year, to 11,421 GWh. But, to EPE, performance, though positive, was weak.