Bucharest ranks first in terms of electricity prices adjusted to purchasing power among 33 European capitals and ninth among EU states in terms of energy price, according to the Household Energy Price Index (or HEPI) for September.
The HEPI report was produced by Energie-Control Austria, MEKH – Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority, and VaasaETT, in collaboration with regulatory authorities and operators from all EU member states, plus the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia, Montenegro, and Ukraine. It presents monthly electricity and natural gas prices for households, offering a complete comparison among European capitals.
Bucharest is the ninth most expensive among EU capitals, with a price of 27.5 eurocents/kWh, above the European (EU-27) average of 25.43 eurocents/kWh.
The Romanian capital also ranks first in Europe, having the highest electricity price adjusted to purchasing power, followed by Prague, Berlin, and Warsaw.
According to the European Commission, in the first quarter of 2025, average day-ahead wholesale electricity prices in Europe were 49% higher compared to the same period in 2024, but 38% lower than in 2023. The increase was driven by high gas prices, a decline in wind and hydro production despite record solar generation, as well as a slight increase in electricity demand.
Although prices were high in Q1 2025, a significant decrease was observed in the second quarter. The variation between markets ranged from EUR 49/MWh in Finland to EUR 145/MWh in Ireland. Romania remained outside the top 5 most expensive energy markets in the EU for the second consecutive month, finishing September in 6th place, with an average price of EUR 97.3/MWh.
In Romania, the average wholesale price in Q1 2025 was EUR 148.3/MWh, one of the highest levels in the European Union, above the European average. This is partly due to the fact that in the last 10 years, the country has taken out of production approximately 7,000 megawatts of gas and coal generation capacity. However, increased green energy production and investments in storage capabilities are set to offset the loss over the next few years, according to plans laid out by the executive.
(Photo source: HEPI report)
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