In the first quarter of 2026, Greece’s natural gas market experienced substantial expansion, primarily driven by increased cross-border flows and a notable rise in LNG imports. According to the transmission system operator DESFA, total gas demand surged to 26.42 TWh, reflecting an 18.5% increase from 22.3 TWh during the same period in 2025. This growth was largely attributed to a dramatic uptick in exports, which soared to 5.99 TWh, compared to just 1.44 TWh a year prior, further solidifying Greece’s position as a key regional gas transit and trading hub.
Conversely, domestic gas consumption saw a slight decline, totaling 20.43 TWh, down by 2.1% year-on-year. DESFA indicated that this decrease reflects evolving consumption trends, with diminished reliance on gas for electricity generation. However, there were increases in industrial demand, compressed natural gas (CNG), and consumption within distribution networks.
Total imports of natural gas during the quarter reached 26.4 TWh, with liquefied natural gas (LNG) comprising the majority at 14.9 TWh, which is approximately 56% of total imports. This marks a significant rise from 10.96 TWh recorded in the same timeframe last year, underscoring Greece’s increasing dependence on LNG as a primary supply source.
The country’s main entry point for LNG remains the Revythoussa LNG terminal, which received about 11.44 TWh, representing roughly 43% of all imports. The Alexandroupoli terminal also played a crucial role, contributing an additional 3.46 TWh. Pipeline imports continued to be significant, with 8.77 TWh arriving via Sidirokastro and another 2.73 TWh through Nea Mesimvria.
A closer examination of domestic consumption reveals that gas usage for power generation fell to 12.48 TWh, down from 13.33 TWh a year earlier. In contrast, industrial consumption and CNG demand increased to 2.28 TWh, up from 2.13 TWh, while deliveries to distribution networks rose to 5.67 TWh, compared to 5.40 TWh in Q1 2025.
The United States emerged as Greece’s leading LNG supplier, providing approximately 7.6 TWh, or two-thirds of total LNG imports, followed by Nigeria with 3.02 TWh. Smaller contributions came from Egypt (0.51 TWh) and Mauritania (0.35 TWh). Notably, despite a reduction in the number of LNG cargoes delivered—totaling only 16 cargoes, transferring 11.48 TWh, compared to 20 cargoes and 10.65 TWh a year earlier—overall imported volumes increased, indicating larger shipments per cargo and enhanced import efficiency.
The small-scale LNG segment also demonstrated remarkable growth during this period, nearly doubling its activity with a total of 273 LNG trucks loaded, compared to 144 in the same quarter last year. Truck-loading volumes increased to 12,496 cubic meters, while energy delivered surged by approximately 92% to 83,252.18 MWh. Such developments highlight the rapid advancement of Greece’s small-scale LNG market alongside its expanding influence in regional energy dynamics.
