97/2011 - 29 June 2011

Second half of 2010 compared with second half of 2009

Household electricity prices in the EU27 rose by 5.1% and gas prices by 7.7%
In the EU27, household electricity prices1 rose by 5.1% between the second half of 2009 and the second half of 2010, after a fall of 2.3% between the second half of 2008 and 2009. Household gas prices2 increased by 7.7% in the EU27 between the second half of 2009 and 2010, after a fall of 15.5% between the second half of 2008 and 2009.

These figures are published3 by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

Adjusted for purchasing power, lowest electricity prices in France, Finland and Greece
Between the second half of 2009 and the second half of 2010, the highest increases in household electricity prices in national currency4 were registered in Lithuania (+31%), Cyprus (+23%), Greece (+17%) and Malta (+12%), and the largest decreases in the Netherlands (-8%), Luxembourg (-7%), Italy and the Czech Republic (both -4%). Expressed in euro, average household electricity prices in the second half of 2010 were lowest in Bulgaria (8.3 euro per 100 kWh), Estonia (10.0), Latvia and Romania (both 10.5), and highest in Denmark (27.1), Germany (24.4), Cyprus (20.2) and Belgium (19.7). The average electricity price in the EU27 was 17.1 euro per 100 kWh. When expressed in purchasing power standards (PPS)5, the lowest household electricity prices were found in France (11.3 PPS per 100 kWh), Finland (11.5) and Greece (12.8), and the highest in Hungary (25.7), Slovakia (24.7) and Germany (23.2).

and lowest gas prices in Luxembourg, the United Kingdom and Ireland
Between the second half of 2009 and the second half of 2010, the highest increases in household gas prices in national currency were observed in Italy (+47%), Slovenia (+25%) and Bulgaria (+24%), and the largest decreases in Slovakia and the United Kingdom (both -6%) and Ireland (-4%). Expressed in euro, average household gas prices in the second half of 2010 were lowest in Romania (7.7 euro per gigajoule), Estonia (11.1), Latvia (11.3) and the United Kingdom (11.7), and highest in Sweden (30.3), Denmark (30.1), Italy (21.9) and the Netherlands (19.8). The average gas price in the EU27 was 15.9 euro per gigajoule. When adjusted for purchasing power, the lowest household gas prices were recorded in Luxembourg (10.9 PPS per gigajoule), the United Kingdom (11.6), Ireland (12.7) and France (14.0), and the highest in Bulgaria (26.9), Hungary (25.1) and Sweden (23.8).

Household* electricity prices including all taxes

Average price of 100 kWh in 2nd half of 2010: in national currency EU27 Euro area Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Germany Estonia Ireland Greece Spain France Italy Cyprus Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Hungary Malta Netherlands Austria Poland Portugal Romania Slovenia Slovakia Finland Sweden United Kingdom Norway Croatia Turkey Bosnia & Herzegovina
* ** p :

in euro 17.08 17.87 19.74 8.30 13.92 27.08 24.38 10.04 18.75 12.11 18.51 12.89 19.19p 20.21 10.48 12.16 17.47 15.74 17.00 16.96 19.30 13.82 16.66 10.52 14.26 16.37 13.70 19.58 14.49 19.07 11.53 13.74 7.37

in PPS 17.08 : 17.26 18.65 19.83 19.08 23.18 14.88 16.28 12.75 20.04 11.26 18.84p 22.03 16.44 19.92 14.53 25.70 22.66 15.30 17.49 22.43 20.14 20.25 17.42 24.66 11.45 15.36 14.32 12.78 17.17 20.31 :

Price change 2nd half 2010/ nd 2 half 2009** 5.1 4.7 5.9 1.4 -3.6 6.2 6.3 9.1 1.1 17.3 9.9 6.8 -3.9p 23.1 0.0 31.3 -7.2 -2.5 12.4 -7.9 1.1 2.0 4.5 8.1 6.3 4.9 6.3 6.4 -1.9 14.0 -0.8 5.8 :

Price change 2nd half 2009/ nd 2 half 2008** -2.3 -0.5 -13.4 -0.6 11.8 -8.5 4.5 8.2 -8.8 -6.1 8.2 0.3 -10.3p -19.5 4.8 7.1 17.0 16.2 -1.5 3.4 7.7 17.9 4.5 2.1 16.0 2.2 1.3 -0.6 -4.6 -7.3 0.0 8.9 :

17.87 19.74 16.23 346.00 201.78 24.38 10.04 18.75 12.11 18.51 12.89 19.19p 20.21 7.43 41.98 17.47 4 392.00 17.00 16.96 19.30 55.10 16.66 44.95 14.26 16.37 13.70 182.00 12.26 152.60 84.30 27.10 14.41

Household electricity prices refer to households with annual consumption between 2 500 and 5 000 kWh. Based on prices in national currency. Not applicable Provisional Data not available

Household* gas prices including all taxes

Average price per gigajoule in 2nd half of 2010 In national currency EU27 Euro area Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Germany Estonia Ireland Greece*** Spain France Italy Cyprus*** Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Hungary Malta*** Netherlands Austria Poland Portugal Romania Slovenia Slovakia Finland*** Sweden United Kingdom Croatia Turkey Bosnia & Herzegovina
* ** *** p :

In euro 15.88 17.52 16.78 11.98 14.35 30.11 15.86 11.14 14.63 : 15.00 15.98 21.87p : 11.28 12.59 13.13 15.38 : 19.84 16.71 14.04 17.49 7.73 18.68 12.39 : 30.33 11.72 10.54 9.31 12.46

In PPS 15.88 : 14.68 26.92 20.45 21.21 15.08 16.50 12.70 : 16.24 13.96 21.47p : 17.70 20.62 10.92 25.11 : 17.89 15.15 22.79 21.15 14.88 22.82 18.66 : 23.80 11.58 15.70 13.77 :

Price change 2nd half 2010/ nd 2 half 2009** 7.7 9.4 17.1 23.9 5.6 12.6 -3.0 10.6 -4.3 : 0.8 -1.4 47.3p : 7.8 11.5 2.4 19.6 : 6.3 -3.0 4.7 5.9 4.3 24.9 -6.2 : 1.1 -5.7 16.0 -1.1 :

Price change 2nd half 2009/ nd 2 half 2008** -15.5 -18.5 -29.2 -11.0 -6.9 : -22.8 -2.2 -15.3 : -18.0 0.9 -25.8p : -24.4 6.2 -10.2 11.1 : -11.2 0.7 5.8 -5.5 -8.2 -24.3 2.2 : -1.8 -3.1 20.1 -25.5 :

17.52 16.78 23.43 356.77 224.38 15.86 11.14 14.63 : 15.00 15.98 21.87p : 8.00 43.46 13.13 4 291.67 : 19.84 16.71 55.99 17.49 33.02 18.68 12.39 : 282.00 9.92 77.09 18.37 24.36

Household gas prices refer to prices for households with an annual consumption between 20 and 200 GJ. Based on prices in national currency. Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Finland do not have a significant gas market for household consumers and therefore did not report gas prices. Not applicable Provisional Data not available

1. The electricity prices refer to prices for a household with an annual consumption of between 2 500 and 5 000 kWh, and include taxes. These prices are weighted by national household consumption to give the EU averages. The final price charged to electricity customers will depend on the structure of electricity tariffs and contracts which normally contains a number of factors, including fixed charges and unit prices that vary according to the amount of electricity and the time of day it is consumed. 2. The gas prices refer to prices for a household with an annual consumption of 20 to 200 gigajoules (GJ) (between 5 556 and 55 556 kWh) of gas, and include taxes. These prices are weighted by national household consumption to give the EU averages. The final price charged to gas customers will depend on the structure of gas tariffs and contracts which normally contain a number of factors, including fixed charges and unit prices that vary according to the volume of gas consumed. 3. Article in Statistics Explained on the Eurostat web site: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Electricity_and_natural_gas_price_statistics

4. Percentage changes in prices at Member State level are based on prices in national currencies. Prices are given in national currencies, euro (based on average exchange rate for second semester 2010) and PPS (Purchasing Power Standard, annual estimated value). 5. The Purchasing Power Standard (PPS) is an artificial common reference currency unit that eliminates price level differences between countries. Thus one PPS buys the same volume of goods/services in all countries.

Published by: Eurostat Press Office: Louise CORSELLI-NORDBLAD Tel: +352-4301-33 444 eurostat-pressoffice@ec.europa.eu

For further information on data: John GOERTEN Tel: +352-4301-34 203 johannes.goerten@ec.europa.eu

Eurostat News Releases on the internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat