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| Electricity poles in the Mallakastra area |
Families in Albania and North Macedonia are paying more for the energy they consume compared to other countries in the region, according to data published by Eurostat.
According to Eurostat, in the first half of 2023, one kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy in Albania cost 0.101 euros (or 10.1 euros for 100 kWh), while in North Macedonia, it is slightly more expensive at 0.105 euros per kWh (10.5 euros for 100 kWh).
Kosovo's families have the cheapest energy in Europe, priced at 0.067 euros per kWh, according to Eurostat. They are followed by Turkey (0.084), Bosnia and Herzegovina (0.087), Serbia (0.096), and Montenegro (0.096).
The European Union's average is nearly three times more expensive than the region, at 0.289 euros per kWh.
Energy Prices in the EU Stabilizing in 2023 but Remain High
According to Eurostat, after a significant increase that began prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine but skyrocketed during the second half of 2022, electricity and gas prices are stabilizing.
Energy prices rose due to the increased cost of natural gas, which is considered an additional fuel source, Monitor reports.
This happened because imports from Russia decreased, and alternative sources of supply were sought. The energy market is valued based on the cost of additional fuel, meaning that the price of natural gas affects electricity market prices.
Countries established mechanisms to ease the pressure on consumers, and one of them was subsidies.
In the first half of 2023, the average electricity prices for residential consumers in the EU continued to rise compared to the same period in 2022, from 25.3 euros per 100 kWh to 28.9 euros per 100 kWh.
Average gas prices have also increased compared to the same period in 2022, from 8.6 euros per 100 kWh to 11.9 euros per 100 kWh in the first half of 2023. These prices are the highest recorded by Eurostat.
The price without taxes for electricity and natural gas is decreasing. Countries have partially withdrawn their support measures. As a result, the final prices for residential customers, including taxes, are slightly higher than in the reference period.
Compared to the first half of 2022, in the first half of 2023, the share of taxes on electricity bills decreased from 23% to 19% (-4%) and on gas bills from 27% to 19% (-8%), where all countries have had government subsidies or reduced taxes to mitigate the high energy costs.
The data also show that residential electricity prices increased in 22 EU countries in the first half of 2023 compared to the first half of 2022. Expressed in national currency, the largest increase (+953%) was reported in the Netherlands.
This increase is related to several factors: the tax relief measures from 2022 did not continue in 2023, and at the same time, electricity taxes for residential users doubled. Large increases in national currency were also recorded in Lithuania (+88%), Romania (+77%), and Latvia (+74%).