Scorching heat sends Italy’s electricity demand to record high

Electricity consumption in Italy reached a historic high of 32.5 TWh in July, 8.3% higher than in the same month of 2025, according to national grid operator Terna.

The sharp increase in demand was driven by widespread use of air-conditioning systems amid a severe heatwave, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Extremely high temperatures pushed electricity demand to an annual peak of around 58 GW on July 15, up 4.5% from the 2025 figure.

Another factor was rising energy consumption in the industrial sector. The energy-intensive industries index increased by 2.1% year-on-year in July.

Renewable energy sources collectively met 41.5% of the country’s electricity demand, the operator said.

Europe experienced multiple intense heatwaves in 2026 starting from late May, with a particularly severe episode in late June that set numerous national temperature records across western and central Europe, including France, the UK, Germany, and the Czech Republic, before shifting eastward.

Persistent high-pressure systems, often described as heat domes, trapped hot air and led to prolonged extreme conditions, with western Europe recording its hottest combined June-July period on record according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

By Jeyhun Aghazada