Heatwave pushes Czech electricity consumption up by seven percent

The current heatwave has driven Czech electricity consumption up by as much as seven percent compared to last week, mainly due to greater use of air conditioning in office and commercial buildings, ČEZ energy company spokesman Ladislav Kříž told the Czech News Agency. The rise is most noticeable in larger cities such as Prague, where the urban heat island effect is strongest. Despite the increase, summer demand remains 30 to 40 percent lower than in winter. High temperatures are also reducing the efficiency of solar panels by over ten percent in some cases, as photovoltaic systems perform best at around 25°C.