EU says energy consumption unchanged in 2005 but imports growing

EU says energy consumption unchanged in 2005 but imports growing

London (Platts)--21Sep2006

The 25 member states of the European Union saw energy their consumption
total 1.64 million mt of oil equivalent in 2005, unchanged from 2004, but
energy imports rose as the region's oil, gas, coal and nuclear power
production declines, the European Commission said.
EU25 production of all sources of energy fell by 4.2% in 2005, resulting
in an increase in net imports of 4.5%. As a consequence, the first estimate
for 2005 shows that the EU25 depended on imports for 56% of its energy needs,
up from 54% in 2004, the commission said.
The UK, which accounted for 70% of the crude and 44% of the gas produced
in the EU25, saw output fall by 11.4% last year while its gas production fell
by 7.7%.
In Poland, which produced 57% of the coal mined in the EU25, production
fell by 2.1%. In Germany (19% of the total) and the UK (13%), the second and
third largest coal producers, production decreased by 3.9% and 17.9%
respectively.
In France, which produced 46% of all the nuclear energy in the EU25,
production increased by 0.9%, but in Germany, which at 16% was the second most
important producer, it fell by 3%.
EU expects that by 2020 as much as two-thirds of its energy will be
imported.

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