The price of electricity on the Belgian market is at its lowest level since the end of May. At night the electricity price is even negative for a while. Large customers, such as energy-intensive companies, receive 88 cents between 3 and 4 a.m. and 8 cents between 4 and 5 a.m. per megawatt-hour they consume.
Sufficient wind energy and the fact that many businesses close during the Christmas holidays, among other things, contribute to the low prices. Furthermore, temperatures in Belgium will remain relatively mild for the time of year in the coming days.
At the end of August, the price of electricity for next day delivery reached an unprecedented peak of an average of 700.41 euros per megawatt hour. This was the result of record natural gas prices – due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine – combined with, among others, the closure of several French nuclear power plants, a lack of wind power and heating.
After prices had fallen slightly in recent months, there was a new flare-up in the middle of this month. Freezing cold, lack of wind and ongoing problems with France’s nuclear power plants pushed the price of Belgian electricity to a new high of 467.15 euros per megawatt-hour on average on 13 December.
