Energy, Estonia, Gas

"We sold 54.8 million cubic meters of gas to households in 2015, which is 2.8% less than the year before. The drop in sales to households is related to higher air temperature, as sales were smaller than in the previous year only in the months of the heating period," Eesti Gaas marketing manager Marge Randmaa told BNS.

Sales on the free market and to redistributors totaled 328 million cubic meters, 31% less than in the previous year. Consumption fell due to the weather conditions, but the main reason for the drop was that several major customers bought gas from other suppliers as well, Randmaa said.

"The main factor that affected gas consumption in Estonia in 2015 was weather. Consumption of natural gas fell 10% compared to the previous year. According to data of the national weather service 2015 was the warmest year in the last half century. Warm weather had a particularly strong impact during the heating period," Randmaa said.

Furthermore, several new importers bringing gas from Lithuania entered the market last year, she added. "Where the gas market was previously open to sellers, last year competition emerged also in the supply market. Eesti Gaas as the biggest importer had a market share of 80% in 2015," Randmaa said.