Belgium registered a 15.1% increase in the price of electricity last year, the second highest in the European Union (EU) after Lithuania, according to figures for 2015 published on Friday by the European statistical office, Eurostat. The average increase for EU countries was 2.4%, Eurostat reported.
Comparing the average prices for 100 kWh of electricity, all taxes included, Eurostat found that, at 23.5 euros, Belgium’s price was higher than the averages for the Euro-zone (22.1 euros) and the EU28 (21.1 euros).
When prices were adjusted for purchasing power, electricity in Finland was least expensive, along with France and Luxembourg. At the other end of the scale, prices were relatively highest in Portugal, Germany and Spain.
On the other hand, the average price of household gas went down by 4.5% in Belgium, amounting to 6.2 euros for 100 kWh at the end of 2015, making it one of the lowest in Europe.
“Adjusted for purchasing power standards PPS, it can be seen that, relative to the cost of other goods and services, the lowest household gas prices were recorded in Luxembourg (4.0 PPS per 100 kWh), the United Kingdom (5.1), Estonia (5.3), Belgium (5.6) and Denmark (5.7) and the highest in Portugal (12.6), Spain (10.4), Greece and Sweden (both 9.2), the Czech Republic (9.1) and Italy (9.0),” Eurostat reported.
(Source: Belga)
