Gas demand in June increased by 11% when compared to the same month last year, according to new figures from Gas Networks Ireland.
The demand across the retail sector was up 95%, air travel up 57%, leisure and sports areas up 47% and the manufacturing sector up 31%.
Compared to May, overall gas demand dropped by 3% in June, with warmer weather playing a role as gas requirement for space heating purposes reduced.
The figures show that gas generated 57% of Ireland's electricity demand in last month, up three percentage points on both the previous month and compared to June last year.
Even though the amount of electricity generated by wind energy in June fell 12% month-on-month, it had one of its strongest Junes on record – generating 30% of all electricity in the State.
"As we move further into the summer, we do not envisage any disruption to gas supply in the immediate future and we continue to monitor the evolving situation in terms of Russian gas supplies to Europe," said Brian Mullins, Gas Networks Ireland's Head of Regulatory Affairs.
"Ireland's gas requirements continue to be met by indigenous supply from the Corrib gas field and via the interconnection with the UK, which is largely sourced from UK indigenous sources and Norway," he added.
Today's figures show that total gas demand for the first half of 2022 was down slightly, just 1% on the same period last year, but the first six months of 2022 saw an 8% increase on the last six months of 2021.
In comparison to the same period last year when public health restrictions were in place, there were some significant increases in the demand for gas across the retail, laundry, hotel, and leisure and sport arenas.
However, gas demand fell over the same period in the construction, education, and residential sectors.
Gas generated 45% of Ireland's electricity in the first six months of this year, as it did for the same period in 2021.
Wind energy and coal both increased by two percentage points generating 36% and 10% respectively.
