Some Czech suppliers start raising gas prices, others await market developments

Some energy suppliers are raising gas prices as a result of the Middle East crisis. The largest supplier in the Czech Republic, innogy, increased the prices of some fixed-price products by hundreds of koruna at the start of the week. Pražská plynárenská and MND are also preparing to adjust their fixed-price tariffs. Other companies are waiting to see how the market develops. This follows from information provided to ČTK by energy companies.

Prices of European benchmark contracts for gas purchases have risen by more than 50 percent since the start of the war in the Middle East. The conflict began on the last day of February with a US-Israeli attack on Iran.

Since Monday, innogy has changed its fixed-price tariffs by hundreds of koruna per megawatt-hour (MWh). Households with high consumption may therefore pay thousands of koruna more per year. For example, the supplier increased the price of its 15-month fixed-price gas offer by 484 Kč per MWh, while the price of gas with a three-year commitment also rose by hundreds of koruna. For now, innogy's price increases apply only to new fixed-term contracts. Nothing is changing for clients on open-ended contracts or with price-fixation agreements concluded earlier.

Pražská plynárenská is also preparing a new fixed-price product that will reflect the current market situation, company spokesperson Miroslav Vránek confirmed. "It is still in the preparation phase," he noted, without providing further details. According to Vránek, the changes will initially concern promotional fixed-price tariffs, while customers on open-ended contracts, who make up the majority according to the spokesperson, need not yet fear price increases. Fixed-price contracts concluded in the past will also remain unchanged.

"In the current situation, we consider it no longer sustainable to maintain gas prices in market offers at the levels seen at the beginning of the year," MND Energie marketing director Jan Sýkora told ČTK.

According to the company, how quickly rising market energy prices are reflected in customer prices will depend on the specific product.

Other major suppliers have not yet moved to adjust prices. "We purchase electricity and gas for our clients well in advance so that fluctuations on the wholesale market affect them as little as possible," said Ondřej Svoboda, spokesperson for the semi-state-owned ČEZ. According to him, the company has recently observed strong interest from households in taking advantage of current prices. "Around a third more customers are now asking about fixed-price contracts than before the start of the war in the Middle East," Svoboda added.

E.ON has not changed its prices either. It continues to offer fixed-price tariffs to both existing and new customers at the same prices as in January. "On the other hand, it is fair to point out that if the conflict in the Middle East continues to drag on and market prices rise, this may first be reflected in acquisition offers for new customers," spokesperson Roman Šperňák said. He therefore recommends that customers fix their prices.

Pražská energetika (PRE) is also monitoring the situation for now. "Because we purchase and hedge commodities for customers in advance, short-term price fluctuations are eliminated to a certain extent. However, the question is of course what would happen to prices if the Middle East conflict were to last a long time, for example several months or even longer. For now, in our view it is premature to anticipate such a situation," spokesperson Karel Hanzelka said.

Centropol is also keeping prices the same as before the start of the conflict in the Middle East. "We are not planning to increase electricity or natural gas prices," said board member board member Jiří Matoušek. According to him, Centropol purchased natural gas and electricity on the market in advance not only for 2026, but also for a significant part of 2027, and has also secured energy for all multi-year commitments, including in subsequent years.