Electricity pricing

Electricity pricing (sometimes referred to as electricity tariff or the price of electricity) varies widely from country to country, and may vary signicantly from locality to locality within a particular country. There are many reasons that account for these differences in price. The price of power generation depends largely on the type and market price of the fuel used, government subsidies, government and industry regulation, and even local weather patterns.

Contents

Basis of electricity rates

Electricity prices vary all over the world, even within a single region or power-district of a single country. In standard regulated monopoly markets, they typically vary for residential, business, and industrial customers, and for any single customer class, might vary by time-of-day or by the capacity or nature of the supply circuit (e.g., 5 kW, 12 kW, 18 kW, 24 kW are typical in some of the large developed countries); for industrial customers, single-phase vs. 3-phase, etc. If a specific market allows real-time dynamic pricing, a more recent option in only a few markets to date, prices can vary by a factor of ten or so between times of low and high system-wide demand.

The actual electricity rate (unit cost per unit electricity) that a customer pays can often be distorted by the effect of customer charges, particularly for small consumers (e.g. residential).[1]

Price comparison

As of June 2009, Denmark has the most expensive electricity tariff in Europe with tax included, followed by Italy. Ireland has the highest pre-tax tariff. France has the lowest pre-tax price for electricity in Europe, at 4.75 Eurocents/kWh, and second-lowest price with tax of European countries. A comparative list of June 2009 prices for Europe may be found in the European Household Electricity Price Index.[2]

The following is a rough comparison of electricity tariffs of industrialised countries and territories around the world.[3]

Global electricity price comparison

Country/Territory US cents/1kWh As of Sources
Argentina 05.74 2006–2007 2005–2006 [11]<[3]
Australia 19.67 first 1755kWh/qtr, then 28.88 2011 Switchwise
Belgium 11.43 2006–2007 2006–2007 PEI[3]
Canada 06.18 2006–2007 2006–2007 PEI[3]
China 16.0 (tariff for renewables - not true grid price) 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 [4]
Chile 23.11 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 Chilectra[5]
Croatia 17.55 2008-07-01 2008-07-01 HEP
Denmark 42.89 2006–2007 2006–2007 PEI[3]
Dubai 07.62 20011 2011 DEWA[6]
Finland 06.95 2006–2007 2006–2007 PEI[3]
France 16.79 June 2011 2011 EEP[7]
Germany 30.66 July 2009 2009 EEP[7]
Hungary 22.40 July 2011 2011 ELMU[8]
Hong Kong
(HK Is.)		 12.30 2008-04-23 2008-05-07 HEC[9]
Iceland 08.45 2008-07-07 2010-08-15 OR[10]
Ireland 20.50 2011 2011 EEP[7]
Italy 37.23 July 2009 2009 EEP[7]
Israel 12.34 January 2012 2012 IEC[11]
Jamaica 25.13 August 2011 2011 JPSCo[12]
Latvia 21.48 April 2011 2011 Latvenergo[13]
Malaysia 07.42 Dec 2007 Dec 2007 ST[14]
Moldova 11.11 Aprile 2011 2011 RUF
Netherlands 34.70 July 2009 2009 EEP[7]
Pakistan 05.28 2010–2011 2006–2007 Electricity sector in Pakistan</ref>
Perú 10.44 2006–2007 2006–2007 PTL[15]
Philippines 15.80 April 2010 April 2010 EEP[7]
Portugal 18.12 2011 2011 EDP[16]
Russia 02.18 (Irkutsk) 09.49 (Moscow) 2011 2011 Mosenergosbyt[17];

[18]
Singapore 20.69 June 2011 [19]
Spain 19.69 2011 2011 Iberdrola[20]
South Africa 17.1 2008–2009 2011-2012 Eskom[21]
Sweden 27.34 July 2009 2009 EEP[7]
Thailand 11.0 @voltage 22-33KV and 12.0 @voltage <22KV September 2010 [22]
Tonga 45.70 June 2010 2010 [23]
Turkey 13.1 July 2011 2011 [24]
Iran 00.91 July 2011 2011 [25]
UK 19.18 June 2011 2011 EEP[7]
Ukraine 03.05 (first 150kWh), 03.95 2011 2011 [12][26]
Uruguay 22.43 (first 600kWh), 24.53 February 2011 UTE
USA 11.20 2011 2011 EIA[27]
Uzbekistan 04.95 2011 2011 Stroyka.uz[26]

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) also publishes an incomplete list of international energy prices, while the International Energy Agency (IEA) provides a thorough, quarterly review for purchase.

See also

References

  1. ^ J. M. Pearce and Paul J. Harris, "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by inducing energy conservation and distributed generation from elimination of electric utility customer charges", Energy Policy, 35, pp. 6514-6525, 2007. Open access available
  2. ^ European Household Electricity Price Index for Europe (HEPI), Who is paying the most, who is paying the least and where are prices heading in Europe?, June 2009
  3. ^ a b c d e f [http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=860462:Los precios de la energía, desiguales en el país y lejos de los valores regionales / Los precios de la energía, desiguales en el país y lejos de los valores regionales ] – La nacion
  4. ^ http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100318040451AA1gJJJ
  5. ^ "Energy Supply Pricing for Clients Subject to Price Regulation". Chilectra. Jan 01, 2011. http://206.49.219.54/medios/ggcc/animacion_principal/Tarifas_Suministro_ClientesRegulados_2011_01_01.pdf. Retrieved Feb 10, 2011. 
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Domestic EU Electricity Prices
  8. ^ [2] ELMU
  9. ^ Tariff table – Hong Kong Electric, retrieved on July 16, 2008
  10. ^ Prices and Rates – Orkuveita Reykjavíkur, retrieved on August 15, 2010 (in Icelandic)
  11. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named IEC; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text
  12. ^ [3]
  13. ^ Jaunie elektroenerģijas tarifi neskars pusi mājsaimniecību
  14. ^ "Electric Supply Industry in Malaysia Performance And Statistical Information 2007". Suruhanjaya Tenaga. http://www.st.gov.my/images/stories/upload/st/st_files/public/Report_Performance.pdf. Retrieved May 25, 2009. 
  15. ^ Pliegos tarifarios de Lima-OSINERGMIN/GART
  16. ^ [4] Portuguese supplier
  17. ^ [5] Mosenergosbyt (retail power supplier in Moscow)
  18. ^ [6]
  19. ^ [7]
  20. ^ [8] Spanish Supplier
  21. ^ "2008/9 Tariffs and Charges". http://www.eskom.co.za/content/Tariff%20book.pdf. Retrieved October 14, 2009. 
  22. ^ BOI
  23. ^ [9]
  24. ^ TEDAS
  25. ^ KHBARONLINE
  26. ^ a b See list in bottom right.
  27. ^ [10] Electric Power Monthly: Average Retail Price of Electricity