Romania continues to rank among the costliest electricity markets during the first half of 2025
Romania is currently grappling with high electricity spot prices within the EU, consistently ranking among the countries with the most expensive day-ahead electricity prices [1][3]. From early 2025, Romania has held the third-highest electricity spot price in the EU, averaging around EUR 103.5-108.3/MWh [3].
Key factors contributing to Romania's high spot prices include:
- Market Position: Romania's electricity market shares prices close to other Southeast European countries with elevated prices like Hungary, Bulgaria, and Greece, indicating regional supply constraints or demand trends [1].
- Volatility and Demand: Despite some price drops by late July 2025, Romania still saw relatively high prices due to production shifts, volatility, and regional demand. In some hours, daily spot prices reached over EUR 220/MWh, suggesting tight balancing conditions [5].
- Day-Ahead Market Structure: The Romanian day-ahead market represents about one-third of domestic consumption, with trading volumes fluctuating and influencing prices. In July 2025, volumes and prices rose slightly compared to June but were lower than the previous year [3].
- Regional Price Disparities: Unlike Western Europe, which benefits from larger integrated markets and more diverse generation sources, Romania and Southeast Europe seem to face higher wholesale prices due to a combination of market characteristics and regional energy dynamics [1][5].
Wholesale prices in Romania have decreased from peaks seen in 2022, but they remain relatively high compared to many European countries, reflecting persistent underlying factors in supply, market integration, or regional energy policies. The average monthly wholesale price forecast for August 2025 was around EUR 73.48/MWh, lower than year peaks but still above many Western markets [2].
The shutdown of coal-based production capacities and their replacement with insufficient renewable sources, Ukraine's shift from net exporter to importer of energy, and regional price disparities are among the reasons for Romania's high energy prices [1][3].
In comparison, prices in Western markets in July were considerably lower. France's price was EUR 58/MWh, and Germany's was EUR 88/MWh [3]. Part of the green energy from the West that used to reach Romania and the Balkans via the spot market interconnection mechanism now goes to Ukraine, via Hungary [4].
Romania ended 2024 in third place among the most expensive spot electricity markets in the EU, with an average daily price throughout the entire year of EUR 103.5/MWh [3]. As of now, only Italy and Slovenia reported higher spot prices than Romania in July [3]. Ireland, with an average daily price for day-ahead energy at EUR 109/MWh, holds the highest average daily price for day-ahead energy in the EU [4].
[1] European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E). (2025). Quarterly Report on Capacity Calculation Regions and Market Coupling.
[2] European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E). (2025). Monthly Report on Capacity Calculation Regions and Market Coupling.
[3] Agora Energiewende. (2025). Quarterly Report on the State of the European Energy Union.
[4] European Commission. (2025). Monthly Report on EU Energy Prices.
[5] European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E). (2025). Weekly Report on Security of Supply.
- The high electricity spot prices in Romania, which have consistently ranked among the most expensive within the EU, could be a concern for industries that heavily rely on energy finance, such as manufacturing and logistics sectors.
- To mitigate these high prices, Romania may need to consider diversifying its energy sources, potentially investing more in renewables and reducing dependence on coal, while also examining regional agreements and energy policies that impact wholesale prices and finance within the EU energy industry.
