Czechs paid sixth-highest electricity price in EU, while gas was cheaper

Czech households paid the sixth-highest electricity prices in the EU in the second half of last year, while domestic natural gas prices were below the EU average. Czechia was also among the countries where both electricity and gas prices fell year on year. This trend is expected to continue this year. This follows from new Eurostat statistics highlighted by the Czech Energy Association.

When comparing billed prices, Czechia had above-average expensive electricity in the EU last year. Ireland had the highest household electricity prices last year. Despite its higher prices, Czechia was among the ten EU countries where electricity prices fell year on year, by more than five percent.

"Looking at wholesale electricity prices on the exchange over the past year, Czechia is among the cheaper countries in Central and Eastern Europe, although it is still significantly more expensive than countries such as Spain, Portugal and France, or by a few euros more expensive than Germany," said Bohuslav Čížek, director for legislation at the Czech Energy Association.

"However, the final price is influenced by a number of other factors on both the supply and demand sides, and unfortunately the Czech Republic ranks near the top in a number of categories in terms of the final price level. This confirms that investment and transformation measures must continue," he said.

Czechia's position is somewhat more favourable in the case of gas, according to the statistics. Domestic prices were below the EU average last year. They also fell by ten percent in the second half of the year, the largest decline in the EU. Households in Sweden paid the highest prices.