Algeria records all-time high electricity demand amid heatwave

Algeria recorded its highest ever electricity demand on Monday as a blistering heatwave swept across much of the country. State-owned electricity and gas company Sonelgaz reported that consumption reached a record 21,870 megawatts (MW), surpassing the previous day’s demand of 21,120 MW by 750 MW. The prior record for peak consumption was 20,628 MW, set in July 2025. Sonelgaz attributed the record demand to soaring temperatures and high humidity, which triggered a sharp surge in electricity usage nationwide. Algeria currently generates approximately 29,000 MW of electricity per day, resulting in a surplus of more than 8,000 MW, including nearly 1,000 MW produced from renewable sources, primarily solar power. Over 95 per cent of Algeria’s electricity production comes from natural gas-fired power plants, and the country also exports more than 500 MW of electricity daily to neighbouring Tunisia. The Algerian government is targeting the production of 15,000 MW of electricity from renewable sources, mainly solar and wind energy, by 2035. Meanwhile, civil protection authorities recorded more than 300 wildfires affecting forests, scrubland, and agricultural land, including palm groves, since Thursday. Prolonged drought conditions continue to fuel the risk of wildfires across the country. Algeria has experienced repeated droughts in recent years, leading to declining dam and groundwater levels and increasingly destructive wildfire seasons.