Electricity prices, Q4 2002

Normally there are natural seasonally variations in the prices of electric energy with lower prices in the summer and higher in the winter.

Stable prices with fixed-price contracts

Mostly the end-users with contracts with variable price experienced the highest increase in the electricity prices at the end of last year. The electricity price for households with 1-year fixed-price contracts was 19.6 øre/kWh in the 4th quarter last year. This is only 3.2 per cent higher than the 3rd quarter last year, and 2.7 per cent higher than the 4th quarter 2001.

The electricity prices for the year 2002 were not particularly high

In 1996 and -97 the average yearly electricity prices for households were 19.8 og 21 øre/kWh, taxes excluded. This was a period with little water in the reservoirs because of cold and dry weather. Then the prices declined each year until 2000, when the price was 14.1 øre/kWh. In 2001 the electricity price increased to 20.6 øre/kWh, and in 2002 it was 20.3 øre/kWh.

Lowest electricity prices in energy-intensive manufacturing and pulp and paper industry

The price of electric energy for services was 24.4 øre/kWh the 4th quarter last year. For manufacturing exclusive of energy-intensive manufacturing and pulp and paper industry, the price was 23 øre/kWh. This is exclusive of taxes and grid rent. For energy-intensive manufacturing and pulp and paper industry the electricity price was 13.7 øre/kWh the 4th quarter last year, and preliminary figures shows that average price of electric energy for the whole year 2002 for this group was 15.7 øre/kWh.

See also

Reservoir level

Electricity statistics

Tables:

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