Lisbon, Feb. 6, 2025 (Lusa) - Portugal's retail free market for natural gas had a cumulative number of more than 1.1 million customers in December 2024, an increase of 0.4% compared to 2023 and representing almost 72% of all contracts, data released on Thursday by the sector regulator shows.

According to the Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE), in December the free market - in which the prices practised are determined by each supplier and not by the regulator - saw a net increase of 1,360 customers compared to November.

By the end of 2024, the liberalised market for this energy source accounted for 71.9% of customers.

The residential segment accounts for more than 95% of all contracts in the free market.

In terms of consumption, ERSE said, it totalled 2,578 GWh, around 0.9% less than in November and 3% higher than in December 2023. 

"Consumption on the free market accounted for around 96% of total consumption in mainland Portugal in December," it states in its release.

Galp Energia maintained its position as the main free-market operator in terms of consumption (51.7% of the total), while EDP Comercial led in terms of the number of customers (40.2%), despite the drop recorded since March 2022, ERSE notes.

"Galp maintained its leadership in the industrial customer segment (35.2%), showing a decrease of 0.3 percentage points (p.p.), and in the large consumer segment (57.1%) there was also a decrease of 0.1 p.p. in its market share, compared to November 2024," reads the ERSE note.

SCR/ARO // ARO.

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