An unexpected electricity miracle in July
Austria has done it! July 2025 will go down in history as the month in which our country became a power-export champion. Thanks to above-average rainfall and a remarkable increase in run-of-river hydropower generation, Austria was able to export more electricity than ever before. But how did this astonishing result come about, and what does it mean for the future?
Rain to the rescue
July began with a grim forecast. Run-of-river hydropower generation stood at 508 GWh in calendar week 27, below the long-term seasonal average. But then the rain came! By the end of the month, generation rose to an impressive 904 GWh, a seasonally historic high. This nearly doubling of production was the key to success.
Gerhard Christiner, board spokesman of Austrian Power Grid AG, explained: 'The heavy rainfall towards the end of the month was able to compensate for the drought at the beginning. Overall, electricity production in July was good thanks to only a very small decline in generation from renewables. Austria was an export country in July.'
An impressive record
The statistics speak for themselves: in July 2025 Austria exported 458 GWh of electricity abroad. On 22 days more electricity was exported than imported on balance. Compared to the previous year, when electricity was even exported on all 31 days of the month and the net balance of 997 GWh was higher, this year's performance remains impressive.
Renewable electricity generation totaled 6,075 GWh, only 2.9 percent less than the previous year. The share from photovoltaic installations fell by 2.5 percent, while hydropower production decreased by 1.2 percent. Only wind energy increased, up 3.9 percent. Nevertheless, renewable energy sources accounted for about 93.5 percent of total feed-in in July.
The challenges of the power grids
With the volatility of the power system and the pressure to integrate renewable energy sources, a high-performance power grid is becoming increasingly important. 'In times of a challenging overall energy-economic situation, all these developments must be anticipated,' Christiner said. The expansion of renewables must not outpace the expansion of power infrastructure, otherwise they will find no space on the grid.
In July 2025, redispatch measures—necessary to catch overloads in the power grid—generated costs of 53 million euros, an increase of 5.3 million euros compared to the previous year. These measures were required on 105 days, underscoring the need for stronger network capacities.
Domestic energy exchange
A high-capacity transmission grid is crucial for distributing electricity surpluses within Austria. In July 2025, Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) (421 GWh) and Upper Austria (Oberösterreich) (287 GWh) fed the largest amounts of energy into the APG grid. Vienna (450 GWh) and Carinthia (Kärnten) (173 GWh) drew the most electricity from the grid.
Increasing electrification as a trend
The electrification of all areas of life and the economy is progressing. In July 2025 Austria consumed 5,493 GWh of electricity from the public grid, an increase of 7.2 percent compared to the same month last year. This is a clear indication of rising electricity demand.
A look into the future
Austrian Power Grid AG plans investments of 9 billion euros by 2034 in grid expansion and conversion. These investments are crucial to achieve Austria's energy goals and ensure supply security. The expansion of power infrastructure will remain a central issue in the coming years.
Experts agree: Austria has the potential to become a leader in the use of renewable energies. With strong infrastructure and the right political support, the country can further expand its position as an electricity-exporting nation.
Conclusion: A nation in transition
In July 2025 Austria showed that it is capable of shaping its energy supply sustainably while also deriving economic benefits from electricity exports. The challenges are great, but so are the opportunities. With the right strategy and investments in infrastructure, Austria can become a role model for other countries.
The future of energy supply is in our hands. It is up to us to set the course for a sustainable and secure electricity supply.
