Gas consumption in France is on a downward trend, projected to reach a gross volume of 361 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024. This figure represents a decrease of 20 TWh compared to 2023 and a reduction of 113 TWh from 2021, as reported by NaTran (formerly GRTgaz), the leading operator of the national gas transmission network, during its annual review presented on Tuesday, March 4.
The reasons for this continued decline are multifaceted. Primarily, there is a resurgence in the use of nuclear and hydroelectric power, leading to a reduced reliance on gas-fired power plants for electricity generation, which is expected to drop to 16 TWh in 2024—a 56% decrease from the previous year. Additionally, NaTran, a subsidiary of the electric utility company Engie, has observed a “trend erosion” in gas consumption among French households (for heating, hot water, and cooking), the tertiary sector, and small businesses, which is anticipated to total 235 TWh in 2024, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.6%. In contrast, large industrial companies in sectors such as chemicals, petrochemicals, food processing, and metallurgy are expected to see a modest increase in consumption, rising to over 109 TWh, an increase of 0.8%, due to falling energy prices.
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Amidst these statistics, a critical issue remains: with France relying heavily on gas imports, what is the current level of Russian gas consumption in the country? Since May 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission has aimed to eliminate all dependency on Russian gas by 2027.
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