Rio de Janeiro – Electric energy consumption in Brazil grew by 7.8% in 2010, compared with the previous year. According to data disclosed today (24th) by the Energy Research Company (EPE, in the Portuguese acronym), of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, consumption in the country reached 419,016 gigawatts per hour (GWh) last year.
The rise in consumption, according to the EPE, was driven mostly by increased energy spending by the industry. With a 10.6% increase, the industry contributed more than half the growth in overall consumption and surpassed the figures recorded in 2008, the period that preceded the world financial crisis.
The residential and commercial sectors also had high rates of growth in consumption, according to the EPE. Residential consumption grew by 6.3% and trade and services consumption, by 5.9% over the previous year.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum