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.

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	[9]<[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]
Finland	06.95	2006–2007 2006–2007	PEI[3]
France	19.25	July 2009 2009	EEP[6]
Germany	30.66	July 2009 2009	EEP[6]
Hungary	22.40	July 2011 2011	ELMU[7]
Hong Kong (HK Is.)	12.30	2008-04-23 2008-05-07	HEC[8]
Iceland	08.45	2008-07-07 2010-08-15	OR[9]
Ireland	23.89	2006–2007 2006–2007	ESB[10]
Italy	37.23	July 2009 2009	EEP[6]
Jamaica	25.13	August 2011 2011	JPSCo[11]
Latvia	21.48	April 2011 2011	Latvenergo[12]
Malaysia	07.42	Dec 2007 Dec 2007	ST[13]
Moldova	11.11	Aprile 2011 2011	RUF[citation needed]
Netherlands	34.70	July 2009 2009	EEP[6]
Pakistan	05.28	2010–2011 2006–2007	[10]</ref>
Perú	10.44	2006–2007 2006–2007	PTL[14]
Philippines	15.80	April 2010 April 2010	EEP[6]
Portugal	18.12	2011 2011	EDP[15]
Russia	09.49	2011 2011	Mosenergosbyt[16]
Singapore	20.69	June 2011	[17]
Spain	19.69	2011 2011	Iberdrola[18]
South Africa	17.1	2008–2009 2011-2012	Eskom[19]
Sweden	27.34	July 2009 2009	EEP[6]
Thailand	11.0 @voltage 22-33KV and 12.0 @voltage <22KV	September 2010	[20]
Tonga	45.70	June 2010 2010	[21]
Turkey	13.1	July 2011 2011	[22]
UK	18.59	July 2009 2009	EEP[6]
Ukraine	03.05	2011 2011	[11][23]
Uruguay	22.43 (first 600kWh), 24.53	February 2011	UTE
USA	11.20	2011 2011	EIA[24]
Uzbekistan	04.95	2011 2011	Stroyka.uz[23]

See also

• Cost of electricity by source
• Energy price
• Feed-in tariff
• Stranded costs
• Levelised energy cost
• Electricity market
• Electricity liberalization
• Demand response
• Spark spread

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. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Domestic EU Electricity Prices
7. ^ [1] ELMU
8. ^ Tariff table – Hong Kong Electric, retrieved on July 16, 2008
9. ^ Prices and Rates – Orkuveita Reykjavíkur, retrieved on August 15, 2010 (in Icelandic)
10. ^ Domestic Rural Charges – Electricity Supply Board, retrieved on July 8, 2008
11. ^ [2]
12. ^ Jaunie elektroenerģijas tarifi neskars pusi mājsaimniecību
13. ^ "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. 
14. ^ Pliegos tarifarios de Lima-OSINERGMIN/GART
15. ^ [3] Portuguese supplier
16. ^ [4] Mosenergosbyt (retail power supplier in Moscow)
17. ^ [5]
18. ^ [6] Spanish Supplier
19. ^ "2008/9 Tariffs and Charges". http://www.eskom.co.za/content/Tariff%20book.pdf. Retrieved October 14, 2009. 
20. ^ BOI
21. ^ [7]
22. ^ TEDAS
23. ^ ^{a b} See list in bottom right.
24. ^ [8] Electric Power Monthly: Average Retail Price of Electricity