Romania remains among the most expensive electricity markets in first half of 2025
<p>Romania has the third-highest electricity spot price in the EU from the beginning of the year to date, maintaining the position it held last year, according to data analyzed by <a href="https://www.profit.ro/povesti-cu-profit/energie/grafice-romania-ramane-in-topul-celor-mai-scumpe-piete-de-energie-din-ue-22119976?utm_source=Rss&amp;utm_medium=Referral&amp;utm_campaign=Cross">Profit.ro</a>.</p>
<p>The average daily price of electricity traded on the day-ahead market operated by OPCOM (equivalent in volume to approximately one-third of domestic consumption) was EUR 103.53/MWh (or RON 525 /MWh), 27% below that of the same month last year (RON 721 /MWh), but over 20% higher than in June of this year, RON 434/MWh.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The only European countries that reported a higher spot price than Romania in July were Italy (EUR 115/MWh) and Slovenia (EUR 103.77/MWh).&nbsp;</p>
<p>In comparison, prices in Western markets in July were considerably lower. France (EUR 58/MWh) and Germany (EUR 88/MWh) both had lower prices.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Romania has recorded, from the beginning of the year to date, the third highest electricity spot price in the EU (after Ireland and Italy), with the average daily price for day-ahead energy being EUR 108.28/MWh, followed by Hungary with EUR 107.7/MWh, Bulgaria with EUR 107/MWh, and Greece with EUR 106.4/MWh, Profit.ro also reported.</p>
<p>Revisions of conventional production units, low hydropower output, increased consumption due to heat waves in the region, and high peak-hour prices when no renewable energy enters the system were the main drivers behind the July price evolution.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Romania also ended 2024 in third place among the most expensive spot electricity markets in the European Union (EU), with an average daily price throughout the entire year of EUR 103.5/MWh, surpassed only by Ireland (EUR 109/MWh) and Italy (EUR 107.4/MWh).&nbsp;</p>
<p>The shutdown of coal-based production capacities and their replacement with insufficient renewable sources, along with Ukraine’s shift from net exporter to importer of energy, are among the reasons for Romania’s high energy prices.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In addition, interconnection capacities appear to be insufficient, and part of the green energy from the West that used to reach Romania and the Balkans via the spot market interconnection mechanism now goes to Ukraine, via Hungary. This also explains the presence of Hungary, Bulgaria, and Greece - along with Romania - among the most expensive spot electricity markets in the EU.</p>
<p><em><a href="mailto:radu@romania-insider.com">radu@romania-insider.com</a></em></p>
<p><em>(Photo source:&nbsp;17s | <a href="https://www.dreamstime.com/">Dreamstime.com</a>)</em></p>