In the last twenty days, electricity consumption in Serbia has surged by 15 to 20 percent compared to the same period last year, due to an earlier onset of the heatwave and tropical temperatures that have forced people to keep their air conditioners running even at night. Dragan Rakić, the chief dispatcher of the Serbian Power Grid, emphasizes that the system remains stable but warns about an unfavorable hydrological situation that reduces electricity production in hydroelectric plants. Currently, daily consumption ranges between 92 and 95 gigawatt-hours, with a peak of 98.5 gigawatt-hours recorded on June 26, close to the absolute summer record of 101.8 gigawatt-hours set on July 17 last year.
The biggest consumers are major cities like Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Niš, where people do not turn off air conditioners at night due to high temperatures, further straining the grid. Although hydroelectric production is down due to drought, there are no production problems, and the system is under constant monitoring to maintain reliability.
Europe faces similar challenges, as many countries are hit by drought waves affecting thermal power plants that use water for cooling. Italy is the largest electricity importer in Europe, while France and Germany are the biggest exporters. In the Czech Republic, about 30 percent of consumers lost power due to a transmission line failure, but the situation was quickly resolved.
Rakić states that teams are ready for possible storms and other adverse weather events that usually follow prolonged high temperatures, and that continuous contact with the European grid is key to coordination and system stability. Citizens are urged to be cautious and patient in case of outages, as repairs may take time.
So, while air conditioners run non-stop and electricity consumption hits record highs, the system holds steady—but for how long? Have you noticed your electricity bill skyrocketing? Or maybe you have some tricks to survive this scorching heat without turning your home into an electric oven? Share your experience; maybe your tip will save someone from a huge bill!
