Electricity demand movements across European markets were mixed in the first week of June 2026, with changes linked to both weather conditions and holiday calendars. Great Britain and Spain recorded weekly increases compared with the prior week. The British market saw demand rise by 3.1%, while Spain posted a 0.9% increase.
In Great Britain, the 3.1% rise reversed a downward pattern seen over the previous two weeks. The increase also followed the May 25 Spring Bank Holiday, which partially recovered demand after that date. Spain’s 0.9% gain marked its third consecutive weekly rise in electricity demand.
Holiday-driven declines in continental Europe
Most continental European markets registered declines in electricity demand during the same first-week period. Italy recorded the largest fall, with demand down by 8.6%. The decline was attributed to Republic Day on June 2.
France, Belgium, and Portugal also saw decreases, with reported declines ranging from 3.0% in France to 7.0% in Portugal. Germany experienced a smaller drop of 1.0%, extending its second consecutive week of falling demand. In Portugal and Germany, lower consumption was mainly linked to Corpus Christi on June 4.
Corpus Christi is described as a national holiday in Portugal and is observed in several German regions. Alongside these holiday effects, average temperatures fell across all analyzed markets, affecting electricity consumption patterns during the week.
Temperature drops reshape consumption patterns
The largest temperature decreases were recorded in France and Great Britain, each down by 5.0°C. Belgium followed closely with a temperature drop of 4.9°C. Other markets saw smaller declines, including Spain at 1.4°C.
Italy, Portugal, and Germany experienced milder temperature falls within the same range of reported changes. Germany’s temperature decline was 2.7°C, according to the figures provided for the analyzed markets.
AleaSoft forecasts mixed demand for second week of June
For the second week of June, demand forecasts indicate mixed expectations across Europe. AleaSoft Energy Forecasting expects increases in Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, and Italy. At the same time, Great Britain and Spain are forecast to register declines in electricity demand .
AleaSoft’s outlook therefore points to continued divergence between markets as the month progresses into its second week . The forecasted direction changes are presented alongside the earlier first-week shifts tied to holidays and temperature movements.
