World Cup Match Causes Wild Swings in Paraguay's Electricity Demand

Paraguay's national electricity consumption experienced dramatic fluctuations during the country's World Cup match against Germany, as citizens followed the game closely. The national grid, managed by the Administración Nacional de Electricidad (ANDE), recorded its lowest demand of the night, 3,223 MW, at 8:31 PM, shortly after Paraguay secured its victory through a penalty shootout.

ANDE's technical analysis revealed distinct phases in electricity usage during the match on June 29. Demand progressively decreased from around 3,620 MW to 3,450 MW during the first half, a phenomenon ANDE attributes to a "load concentration effect." This effect occurs as businesses, restaurants, and industrial processes slow down while the population focuses on watching the game.

However, the period immediately following halftime saw a drastic surge. Between 6:15 PM and 6:30 PM, demand leaped from 3,510 MW to a peak of 3,870 MW, an almost instantaneous increase of 360 MW. ANDE explains this jump is due to the simultaneous activation of thousands of appliances like kettles, microwaves, induction cookers, and refrigerators as people prepared snacks or drinks during the break.

This extreme peak presents a challenge not just for energy availability, but for the speed of response required from the National Load Dispatch Center. The center needs to maintain operational reserves and frequency regulation capabilities ready to react within minutes, a stark contrast to managing gradual demand increases. Itaipú Binacional is also monitoring its supply to Paraguay and preparing for similar demand shifts during upcoming matches involving Paraguay and Brazil.

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el llamado “efecto de concentración de carga”