Cypriot household electricity bills rose 22 per cent in the 12 months to June, the heaviest increase in the EU, according to the bloc’s statistical body, Eurostat.
The largest EU increase in household power charges in between the second quarters of 2016 and 2017 was recorded in Cyprus, followed by Greece with 12.8 per cent.
Belgium came third with 10 per cent, then Poland at 6.9 per cent, Sweden 5.5 per cent and Spain recorded a 5.1-per-cent increase.
Taxes and levies in the EU made up on average 37 per cent of the electricity price charged to households in the first half of 2017, and 26 per cent of the gas price, Eurostat reported.
On average across the EU, household electricity prices fell 0.5 per cent for the period, to €20.4 per 100kWh.
The largest falls were in Italy with 11.2 per cent, Croatia 10.2 per cent and Lithuania recording 9.3 per cent.
Household prices in the first half of this year ranged from below €9.6 per 100kWh in Bulgaria, to €30.5 per 100kWh in Denmark and Germany, followed by Belgium at €28.
Other low prices were recorded in Lithuania at €11.2 and Hungary €11.3. In Cyprus the price was €18.6.
It was argued in Ireland that when all taxes were included, Irish customers faced some of the bloc’s highest prices with further increases expected this winter.
Electricity bills in Ireland are made up of wholesale generation costs, network charges for transmission and distribution, retail and policy levies and taxes.
Ireland’s wholesale and network costs together make up almost two-thirds of average domestic electricity bill, it was argued, pushing up prices for consumers.
The average household electricity charge across the bloc was €20.4 per 100kW, the EU number crunchers reported.
Gas prices fell across most of the EU in the 12-month study period.
The largest falls were found in Croatia with a drop of 17.5 per cent, Portugal 15.3 per cent, Lithuania 11.6 per cent, Latvia 10.8 per cent and Bulgaria 10.3 per cent.
According to the report, the highest increases were in Estonia with 21.1 per cent, followed by Denmark at 12.7 per cent and Sweden 10.8 per cent.
The average household gas prices in the first half of 2017 were lowest in Romania at €3.2 per 100kWh, Bulgaria €3.3, Hungary €3.5, Croatia €3.6, Lithuania €3.7 and Latvia €3.8 and highest in Sweden €12.1, Denmark €8.1, Portugal €7.7 and the Netherlands with €7.6. The average EU gas price was €5.8 per 100kWh.
Limassol in Cyprus. Greek Cyprus saw the highest electricity price rises. Picture credit: Pixabay
