Household electricity prices across EU member states in the first half of 2017 ranged from below €10 per 100 kilowatts-hours (kWh) in Bulgaria to more than €30 per 100 kWh in Denmark and Germany, Eurostat data shows on Wednesday.
In addition, household gas prices fell by 6.3 percent on average in the EU between the first halves of 2016 and 2017 to stand at €5.80 per 100 kWh.
"Among Member States, household gas prices in the first half of 2017 ranged from less than €3.50 per 100 kWh in both Romania and Bulgaria to slightly above €8 per 100 kWh in Denmark and €12 per 100 kWh in Sweden," according to Eurostat data.
Taxes and levies in the EU made up on average over a third, or 37 percent, of the electricity price charged to households in the first half of 2017, and about a quarter, or 26 percent, of the gas price.
"These figures on energy prices in the EU are complemented with two articles and an interactive infographic published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union," the data shows.
The data also shows that the highest increases in electricity prices were in the Greek Cypriot administration, Greece and Belgium, and the largest falls were in Italy, Croatia and Lithuania.
Across the EU Member States, the highest increase in household electricity prices in national currency between the first half of 2016 and the first half of 2017 was registered by far in the Greek Cypriot administration (+22 percent), followed by Greece (+12.80 percent), Belgium (+10 percent), Poland (+6.9 percent), Sweden (+5.5 percent) and Spain (+5.1 percent).
In contrast, the most noticeable decreases were observed in Italy (-11.20 percent), Croatia (-10.20 percent) and Lithuania (-9.30 percent), well ahead of Luxembourg (-4.90 percent), Austria (-4.10 percent), Romania (-4 percent) and the Netherlands (-3.60 percent).
The lowest electricity prices were recorded in Bulgaria with €9.60 per 100 kWh.
The average household electricity prices in the first half of 2017 were low in Lithuania (€11.20) and Hungary (€11.30), and the highest were seen in Denmark and Germany (both €30.50) followed by Belgium (€28).
"The average electricity price in the EU was €20.40 per 100 kWh," according to the data.
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr