effects of the crisis
The financial crisis and environment awareness have made consumers go easy on the air conditioning, even at 38 degrees
09.07.09 - 17:19 -
CONTROL Air conditioning adds considerably to the bill. / SUR
Not event the suffocating heat earlier this week was able to beat the global economic crisis. The warm ‘terral’ winds have sent thermometers soaring to record heights with temperatures of nearly 40 degrees recorded in Malaga on three consecutive days. Nevertheless the demand for electricity has fallen compared to other summers, apparently due to a reduction in the use of air conditioning. It appears that the economic crisis has made consumers more afraid of a huge bill at the end of the month, and this, combined with greater environmental awareness, has caused people to go easy on the air con.
On Tuesday the province of Malaga consumed some 1,228 megawatts of power, according to the commercial director of Sevillana-Endesa, José Antonio Ruiz Guerra. This figure is a long way below the average of 1,369 megawatts a day consumed this time last year. Tuesday’s demand was even lower than during January’s cold spell when power consumption rose to a record breaking 1,410.9 megawatts.
The Sevillana-Endesa representative points out that there are a number of factors that explain the fall in demand. He maintains that it is not just because power is now more expensive and people in general have less money to spend, but also because habits are changing. The general public are taking note of good energy-saving advice for environmental, as well as financial, reasons. For example consumers now know to set the desired temperature at around 25 degrees and use their air conditioning appliances for shorter periods of time. Nevertheless no one can ignore the fact that the reduction in economic activity caused by the crisis has contributed to the fall in demand for electricity.
