Portugal goes coal-free in April as demand drops 12% amid lockdown

Portugal's two coal plants were idled for a whole month for the first time during April as the country's power demand fell 12% year on year to 3.5 TWh, the lowest monthly total on records back to 2007.

Data from European transparency platform EntsoE shows that the two coal units -- - Sines (1.3 GW) and Pego (618 MW) -- have been inactive since March 13, prior to a state of emergency declaration on March 18.

According to Portuguese environmental group Zero, the Pego plant has been offline for 52 consecutive days and Sines for 100 consecutive days.

Both plants are scheduled for closure this decade -- Pego in 2021 and Sines in 2023.

The coal decline contributed to an 82% year-on-year fall in thermal generation in the month as hydro production and imports from Spain increased, REN's data showed.

Hydro output was up 21% year on year at 1.2 TWh, with reserves at their most abundant in four years in April, starting the month at 71.4% with 2.3 TWh held and ending it at 79.6% with 2.5 TWh held.

Imports from Spain increased 17% and exports dropped 42% year on year, with Portugal's neighbor also suffering tanking demand of 17% year on year in April to 16.2 TWh due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Both countries saw a strong decline in wind output during April, with Spain's output down 20% year on year at 3.7 TWh and Portugal's down 24% year on year at 900 GWh as the daily spot price on the OMIE exchange fell to single digits on several days in both markets, compared to an average price of Eur47.87/MWh for full year 2019.

Portugal's gas demand also shrank significantly in April, with total demand down 26% year on year at 3.6 TWh -- its lowest since April 2018, including a 13% decline in domestic and industrial demand to 3.2 TWh.

This meant a 66% decline in gas demand for CCGT's to 418 GWh, meaning a conversion rate of 46% in the month.