Unusually high temperatures have pushed electricity demand in Cyprus to peak levels, testing the limits of the power grid, the Cyprus Transmission System Operator (DTSO) said on Thursday.
Peak demand on Wednesday reached 1,017 megawatts (MW) at around 5:00 PM, with conventional generation capacity peaking at 900 MW during the evening hours (6:00 PM – 9:30 PM), according to DTSO spokesperson Hara Kousiappas.
While solar photovoltaic (PV) panels contribute significantly to the grid during daylight hours, the island currently lacks the capacity to store this energy for use later in the day.
Kousiappas noted peak PV contribution sits around 480 MW at 1:00 PM, dropping to 60 MW by evening peak hours.
Demand is expected to remain high on Thursday, potentially exceeding Wednesday’s peak. Kousiappas forecast demand to reach 920-930 MW during the evening peak.
The DTSO spokesperson confirmed there is currently 942 MW of available conventional generation capacity, with some units undergoing scheduled maintenance completed before the anticipated high-demand period.
“We are, one could say, at the limit, with no reserves,” Kousiappas said. “However, barring unforeseen circumstances, there should be sufficient supply.”
She added that a 120 MW unit at the Vasiliko Power Plant is scheduled for synchronisation and testing during the day. Successful synchronisation would provide additional reserve capacity.
Load shedding, or controlled power outages, would only be implemented if the Vasiliko unit fails to synchronise, a significant generation unit malfunctions, or demand surges beyond expectations.
Kousiappas did not rule out the possibility of changing circumstances later on Thursday as data is continuously monitored.
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