The European Union (EU) energy ministers will hold an extraordinary meeting on Sept. 9, Jozef Sikela, EU term chairman and Czech minister of industry and trade, said on Monday.
The ministers will discuss the rapid increase in natural gas and electricity prices.
Natural gas price per megawatt hour increased to €310, up from around €18 in July last year, Sikela said.
The war in Ukraine, the decrease in gas flow from Russia, and the maintenance of nearly half of the nuclear power plants in France due to technical problems all contributed to higher energy prices, he added.
The electricity market has served Europeans for 30 years and has driven down energy prices, Sikela said and added, 'Now we have to accept that the energy market is not working as it should. The market is frozen, and therefore we need to fix it.'
Some EU member states are demanding a cap on natural gas prices, and a change in electricity market activity. The EU Commission is trying to determine a common stance by negotiating with the member states on this issue.
A regular meeting by EU energy ministers was already scheduled for 11-12 October.
Reporting by Ata Ufuk Seker in Brussels
Writing by Zeynep Beyza Kilic
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr