5.1.2.1.2 Forward electricity prices in Europe(1)
| France | UnitedKingdom | Italy | Germany | Belgium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh) | Average forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)France 50.9 | Average forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)UnitedKingdom 58.4 | Average forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)Italy 59.8 | Average forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)Germany 47.8 | Average forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)Belgium 51.0 |
| Variation in average forward baseload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 | Variation in average forward baseload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 France +4.0% | Variation in average forward baseload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 UnitedKingdom -2.8% | Variation in average forward baseload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 Italy +1.3% | Variation in average forward baseload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 Germany +8.6% | Variation in average forward baseload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 Belgium +0.0% |
| Forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh) | Forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)France 44.1 | Forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)UnitedKingdom 51.2 | Forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)Italy 50.9 | Forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)Germany 41.3 | Forward baseload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)Belgium 41.9 |
| Average forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh) | Average forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)France 63.6 | Average forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)UnitedKingdom 64.8 | Average forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)Italy 66.8 | Average forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)Germany 57.7 | Average forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract for 2019 (€/MWh)Belgium 62.5 |
| Variation in average forward peakload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 | Variation in average forward peakload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 France +2.4% | Variation in average forward peakload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 UnitedKingdom -1.6% | Variation in average forward peakload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 Italy 0.0% | Variation in average forward peakload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 Germany +6.5% | Variation in average forward peakload price under the annual contracts, 2019/2018 Belgium -2.0% |
| Forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh) | Forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)France 54.2 | Forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)UnitedKingdom 57.1 | Forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)Italy 59.7 | Forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)Germany 50.0 | Forward peakload price under the 2020 annual contract at 31 December 2019 (€/MWh)Belgium 52.3 |
Average annual contract prices for baseload and peakload electricity were higher in 2019 than 2018 all over Europe in the first half of the year, then turned downwards in the second half. This downturn was principally due to the decline of coal and gas prices. The two contrasting trends neutralised each other overall, leading to relative stability in the average price of the year-ahead annual contract in 2019.
In France, the average annual contract baseload price for next-year delivery was €50.9/MWh, 4% higher than in 2018. This moderate increase comprised a period of substantial rises in the first half of the year, driven by the significant increase in CO2 prices, and a period of substantial decrease, associated with the pronounced decline in fuel prices in the second half of the year and a smaller increase in CO2 prices, as coal prices dropped by an average $25.9/t and gas prices by €5.5/MWh during that period. The Calendar N+1 contract price ended the year 2019 at €44.1/MWh.
In the United Kingdom, the April Ahead contract baseload price for 1 April Y+1 to 31 March Y+2 decreased by 2.8% from 2018 to an average €58.4/MWh for 2019. Similar to the situation in France, this price saw a strong rise in the first half of the year compared to 2018, then a substantial decrease associated in particular with the decline in gas prices, as gas-fired facilities make a significant contribution to the formation of British electricity prices.
In Italy, the annual contract baseload price for next-year delivery increased, to an average €59.8/MWh for 2019, 1.3% higher than in 2018. Here again this stability masks an upward trend in the first half of the year followed by a strong downward trend in the second half, in the wake of fuel prices.
In Germany, the average annual contract baseload price for next-year delivery was up by 8.6% from 2018, to €47.8/MWh in 2019. This increase is explained by the significant rises in CO2 prices, since coal-fired facilities still make a significant contribution to the formation of German electricity prices, and are more strongly affected than gas-fired facilities by higher CO2 prices.
In Belgium, the annual contract baseload price for next-year delivery was stable compared to 2018, standing at an average €51.0/MWh in 2019. There was a particularly sharp decrease in the second half of the year, echoing movements in fuel prices against a background of better nuclear plant availability than the previous year.
Principal forward electricity prices in Europe (baseload year ahead)
In January 2018 :
- Electricity - 1 -April annual Contract ahead UK (EDF Trading) was approximately 53 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract Italy (EDF Trading) was approximately 51 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract France (EEX) was approximately 42 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract Germany (EEX) was approximately 37 €/MWh.
In January 2019 :
- Electricity - 1 -April annual Contract ahead UK (EDF Trading) was approximately 64 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract Italy (EDF Trading) was approximately 60 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract France (EEX) was approximately 52 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract Germany (EEX) was approximately 48 €/MWh.
In December 2019 :
- Electricity - 1 -April annual Contract ahead UK (EDF Trading) was approximately 53 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract Italy (EDF Trading) was approximately 53 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract France (EEX) was approximately 44 €/MWh.
- Electricity - annual baseload contract Germany (EEX) was approximately 42 €/MWh.
-Electricity - annual baseload contract France (EEX)
-Electricity -1-April annual contract ahead UK (EDF Trading)
-Electricity - annual baseload contract Germany (EEX)
-Electricity - annual baseload contract Italy (EDF Trading)
(1) France and Germany: average year-ahead EEX price;
Belgium and Italy: average year-ahead EDF Trading price;
United Kingdom: average ICE annual contract prices, April 2019 then April 2020 (in the UK, annual contract deliveries take place from 1 April to 31 March).