Europe does not leave one to get into another. Why has the price of light uploaded this time? Beyond that we have returned to the VAT of 21% in the light invoice, if you have noticed an increase in the price of electricity and gas lately it is for the delicate moment that the natural gas industry lives again in Europe.
The perfect storm of gas. This is how They call analysts To a confluence of factors in the gas industry that has the unfortunate European consumers suffering the consequences on the electricity bill.
Regulatory measures that come to an end, a sudden reconfiguration of supply routes and the increase in demand for wind shortage have generated a scenario in which electricity prices have firing again, affecting both homes and To industries.
Goodbye to the top in the price. More than two years ago that the European Union established a stop at the price of gas as an emergency measure to counteract speculation and relieve the crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That mechanism expired on January 31so now the reality is different.
Much of Europe has started the month of February heating with gas, but without a “firewall” that slows the expense, a situation that has raised criticism of several Eurodiputados. Italy in particular asked to reconsider or adjust the threshold so that consumers do not pay excessive prices.
Total interruption of Russian gas. At the same time, the energy relationship between Europe and Russia has not gone to better. The Total gas traffic interruption Through Ukraine, an agreement that since 1991 allowed Moscow to supply the continent, has left several countries in a vulnerability situation.
One of the most affected countries It is Moldovawhich is not yet part of the EU block. Although the dependence on Russian gas is getting smaller, the supply maintained relative stability throughout the region.
The new gas routes. Given the disappearance of the traditional route, Europe has had to resort to alternatives such as Liquefied natural gas that comes to us by ship from the United StatesCatar and Australia, or the limited use of gas pipelines such as Turkstream.
These sources allow to maintain the flow of energy in exchange for a much higher cost than the gas transported by land, which translates into rates of up to 50 euros per megavatio hour and, therefore, a direct rise in the prices of the prices of the prices of the light.
A WINDER WITHOUT WIND. The impact is aggravated in the electricity sector, where the demand for gas for generation has reached historical levels. The most flagrant case It happened in Germany because of the famous Dunkelflautebut the analyst Pedro Cantuel He points out that Spain registered in December 2024 the highest demand in ten years.
And reservations going down. The last edge of this scenario are gas deposits. Point out Bloomberg that storage levels in key countries such as France and the Netherlands are below the objectives set by the European Commission, adding a layer of uncertainty for next winter.
The Difficulty replenishing these storesaggravated by summer contracts with high prices, it is a real risk for the security of the supply that has ended up affecting, like everything else, on the electricity bill.
Image | Endesa
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