Electricity prices, Q4 2017

Only national level.

Quarterly.

Half-yearly statistics delivered according to Directive 90/377/EEC.

The data is stored in Excel-files, one file per quarter. Revised micro data are stored in accordance with Statistics Norway's guidelines for storing of computer files.

The statistics for prices of electric energy is a quarterly statistics covering prices in the end-user market and wholesale market with information about the factual development of the prices of electric energy. The statistics was started the first quarter of 1998. The measuring period was only one day per quarter then. From the second quarter 1998 the measuring period was increased to one week in the middle of the quarter, in addition to a change in the questionnaire used for collecting data. In the first quarter of 2012 the measuring period was extended to cover the whole quarter. In addition som changes were made in the household fixed price contracts.

The statistics are used by the public authorities to follow the development in the market for electric energy. Different analyses institutions and branch organizations also use the statistics and some electricity suppliers use the statistics for prices of electric energy when they set their own prices.

No external users have access to the statistics and analyses before they are published and accessible simultaneously for all users on ssb.no at 8 am. Prior to this, a minimum of three months' advance notice is given in the Statistics Release Calendar.

For more information, see Principles for equal treatment of users in releasing statistics and analyses

Tables showing electricity prices in the wholesale market and the end-user market are available in the annual electricity statistics and quarterly electricity price statistics. The quarterly electricity price statistics are based on a sample of about 40 enterprises in the wholesale and end-user market, and are released around two months after the end of the quarter. Annual electricity statistics include all the enterprises in the population, and are released about 12 months after the reference year.   

The quarterly electricity price statistics have the most up-to-date electricity prices and provide information about different types of price contracts (spot price, variable price and fixed price). The annual electricity statistics are more detailed and the data source covers the whole population.

Internally the statistics is used in the quarterly national account and in the producer price index. The statistics is also used to calculate half-yearly electricity prices reported to Eurostat. Preliminary yearly average prices are calculated from the quarterly statistics.

The Statistic Act §10 and §20

Directive 90/377/EEC

The population includes companies within electricity supply, which means division 35.1 in the Norwegian Standard Industrial Classification. Data is collected from a sample from this population.

Own survey for quarterly electricity prices.

The statistics are made from information from a sample of about 40 electricity suppliers in the wholesale market and 45 electricity suppliers in the end-user market. The sample is made to cover as good as possible both large and small electricity plants, different geographical areas, and different consumer groups the electricity plants sell electricity to. About 16 per cent of the units of the population are included in the sample, but because the largest companies are included the ratio of the total quantity is about 60 per cent.

The survey is based on electronic questionnaires collected via Altinn, About 95 per cent of the responses are returned via Altinn. Reminders are done by e-mail and phone. The response rate is about 98 per cent.

Maximum and minimum values are controlled. To some extent the figures are also compared with previous reported data for each of the electricity plants. Decimal- and thousand separators and denomination are controlled thorough. The prices are compared with the spot prices of electricity at Nord Pool. Reported quantities are somethimes compared with reported quantities in the yearly electricity statistics and Energy use in the manufacturing sector.

Missing questionnaires are not imputated. Quantities sold and average prices are collected for different types of contracts and consumer groups. Weighted average prices and measures of dispersion are made from this.

Not relevant

According to § 7 and § 8 of the Statistics Act, collected data are subject to secrecy and must be kept or destroyed in a secure manner. Any use of the data must be in accordance with the rules set out by the Data Inspectorate.

The quarterly statistics for electricity prices was started the 1st quarter 1998. A change was made in the questionnaire from the 1st to the 2nd quarter that year. After that period there where no changes in the statistics until 1st quarter 2012.

From 1st quarter 2012 and onwards the measuring periode increased from one week in the midle of each quarter to covering the whole quarter. Data published after the 1st quarter 2012 is still comparable with earlier quarters.

As from the fourth quarter of 2019 the grid rent without taxes does not include enova tax. As from the same period a double registration of the enova tax of 1 øre per kWh in the grid  rent including taxes has been corrected.