Electricity prices, Q4 2010

The increase in the price of electricity can be viewed in conjunction with a low reservoir level in 2010. The reservoir level was below the median level in all weeks in 2010, and was 26.3 percentage points lower than the median level at the end of week 52. Maintenance at the Swedish nuclear power plants also contributed to the price increase

In the middle of the fourth quarter of 2010 the average price of electric energy for households was 44.2 øre/kWh, excluding grid rent and taxes, which is an increase of 38 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2009.

Spot contracts most expensive

Households tied to spot price contracts paid 45.8 øre/kWh on average, excluding grid rent and taxes, in the fourth quarter of 2010, while the price of variable price contracts amounted to 42.3 øre/kWh. One-year fixed-price contracts and other fixed-price contracts totalled 40.5 and 41.1 øre/kWh respectively.

The overall average price of electricity for households, including grid rent and taxes, amounted to 100.6 øre/kWh in the fourth quarter. This is 23 per cent higher compared to the same quarter in 2009. In 2010 as a whole the overall average price was 103.8 øre/kWh; 21 per cent higher compared to the year before. The grid rent and taxes came to 27.6 and 29.3 øre/kWh respectively.

Higher electricity prices for service industry and manufacturing excl. energy-intensive manufacturing and pulp and paper industry

The average price of electricity in the service industry was 44.3 øre per kWh, excluding taxes and grid rent, in the middle of the third quarter. This is 34 per cent higher compared to the same quarter one year ago. In 2009 as a whole, the price increased by 32 per cent compared to the year before.

In manufacturing excl. energy-intensive manufacturing and the pulp and paper industry the average price in the middle of the third quarter amounted to 35.5 øre per kWh. This is 22 per cent higher compared to the same quarter in 2009.

Slight increase in electricity prices for energy-intensive manufacturing and the pulp and paper industry

For energy-intensive manufacturing and the pulp and paper industry, the average price of electricity was 21.6 øre per kWh in the middle of the fourth quarter, excluding taxes and grid rent. This is 2.3 per cent higher than one year ago. The annual average price increased by 4.3 per cent compared to 2009.

The measuring period for the fourth quarter of 2010 was week 31. The average elspot price for the whole quarter was 10.1 øre/kWh higher than the elspot price in week 45.

See also http://www.ssb.no/energi_en/

Tables:

• Table 1 Electricity prices in the end-user market, quarterly. Exclusive taxes. øre/kWh
• Table 2 Electricity prices and grid rent for households, quarterly
• Table 3 Range of electricity prices in end-user market and distribution of sold quantity in the sample
• Table 4 Time series covering quarterly and yearly prices of electric energy, taxes excluded. øre/kWh
• Table 5 Time series covering quarterly and yearly prices of electric energy for households, taxes included. øre/kWh
• Table 6 Electricity prices in the wholesale market, quarterly. øre/kWh
• Table 7 Time series covering quarterly and yearly prices of electric energy in the whole sale market, taxes excluded. øre/kWh