The abundant rains and snowfalls that occurred in Northern Italy in the first half of the year not only caused damage - albeit massive and serious, for example in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta - but also increased the production of hydroelectric energy, which is generated by exploiting the energy of large masses of moving water. So far in 2024, nationwide production has increased by 80.7 percent compared to the same period last year. According to the most recent data from Terna, the company that manages the national electricity grid, 52.5 percent of electricity demand was met by renewable energy sources in May, with hydroelectric energy contributing more than a third more than it did in May 2023. Nevertheless, these extraordinary increases are the consequence of a significant territorial inhomogeneity: the plants in the northern regions are exceptionally robust as a result of the recent torrential rains, whereas in the southern region, some plants have been compelled to cease processes due to drought. In comparison to the summer of 2023, the weather appears to have reversed: in the South, where it rained last year, there is a severe drought, whereas in the North, there are low temperatures for the period and, most importantly, heavy rainfall.
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