Eurostat: Albania’s electricity prices higher than five

TIRANA, Nov. 20 – Albania’s electricity prices are higher than five European countries although its GDP per capita stands on the bottom of a 37-country list, according to the Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. At Euro 0.116/kWh, household electricity prices in Albania are higher than EU member Bulgaria, potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU candidates Macedonia, Montenegro and Iceland.
Average electricity prices in the EU-28 stood at Euro 0.2/kWh in the first quarter of 2013, up from Euro 0.189/kWh during the same period in 2012.
Prices presented in the Eurostat publication include taxes, levies and VAT for household consumers but exclude refundable taxes and levies and VAT for industrial/business users. The Eurostat report does not provide data on Albania’s industrial consumers and gas prices.
Eurostat data show basic electricity prices in Albania stand at Euro 0.096/kWh and VAT is applied at Euro 0.019 kWh.
Albania is one of the few European countries where power prices have remained unchanged in the past three years but yet prices are higher than in several EU and EU aspirant countries, according to a previous Eurostat report. Data from the Eurostat report show that at Euro 11.7 per 100 kWh in 2012 Albania had one of lowest household electricity prices including all taxes among 32 European countries covered in the report, except for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, and Estonia where power prices range from Euro 8 to Euro 11.2 per 100 kWh.
In Albania power prices, which take a considerable part of households’ monthly income, have remained unchanged since the end of 2009 when the Energy Regulatory Entity (ERE) approved the latest increase in electricity tariffs. Yet, the electricity prices in Albania are relatively considering that Albania has the lowest GDP per capita expressed in purchasing power standards.
Electricity prices for household and business consumers will remain unchanged until 2014, according to a decision by Albania’s Energy Regulatory Entity (ERE).
ERE officials say they will continue applying the two-tier price level, under which Albanian households will pay 7.7 lek/kWh for a consumption of up to 300 kWh a month and 13.5 lek for each kWh they consume above the 300 kWh threshold (VAT excluded). Average tariffs for business consumers vary from 8.5 lek/ kWh to 10 lek kWh based on low or medium voltage power access. Meanwhile, state institutions pay 11.5 to 14 lek kWh.
Power prices during the past six years have increased by 63 percent climbing from an average of 5.71 kWh in 2005 to 9.53 lek kWh currently.