Moslem Rahmani said the average temperature during the first 10 days of Dey, beginning Dec. 22, was about 4 degrees Celsius lower than a year earlier. He made the remarks Wednesday during the oil minister’s visit to the company’s dispatching center, according to Shana.

Rahmani said temperatures this year have been colder than last year since Dec. 15, except for Dec. 17. He noted that the average temperature in early Dey last year was close to 10 degrees Celsius, while the weighted average temperature this year has so far been about 5 degrees.

He said the coldest temperatures were recorded Tuesday and Wednesday and that peak consumption is expected Wednesday. Household and commercial gas consumption is estimated at about 692 million cubic meters for the day.

By comparison, average consumption during the early days of Dey last year stood at about 604 million cubic meters. This year, average consumption for the same period rose to 645 million cubic meters, an increase of 41 million cubic meters, he said.

‘A very difficult 24 hours’

Rahmani said the current trend is expected to continue over the next two weeks, with consumption fluctuating in waves. He said another cold front is forecast for Sunday next week, which could again push consumption in the household, commercial and small industrial sectors to between 660 million and 670 million cubic meters per day.

“This is a very large figure,” he said, noting that consumption during the same period last year was about 604 to 605 million cubic meters.

Rahmani said gas production and storage measures have been stepped up, adding that gas storage this year increased by nearly 20% compared with last year, marking a record for the first time.

“We have gone through a very difficult 24 hours,” he said, adding that conditions over the past two weeks have also been challenging.