Eurostat: Romania recorded EU’s highest household energy price increases in H1

Romania recorded the largest increases in household electricity and natural gas prices in the European Union during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period of 2025, according to Eurostat data cited by News.ro. The increases came as average energy prices declined across the bloc.

“Household electricity prices rose sharply in Romania (+51.6% compared with the first half of 2025), Ireland (+19.8%), and Finland (+18.4%),” Eurostat said.

Denmark and Luxembourg recorded the largest decreases, at 31.7% and 24.1%, respectively.

When adjusted for purchasing power, Romania also had the EU’s highest household electricity prices, at 46.9 purchasing power standard units per 100 kWh. It was followed by Poland at 41.1 and Czechia at 34.3.

“Considerable variations in household electricity prices were observed among EU countries,” Eurostat said, noting that six countries reported prices above EUR 0.30 per kWh, while five recorded prices below EUR 0.20.

In nominal terms, Ireland had the highest electricity price at EUR 0.39 per kWh, followed by Germany and Belgium at EUR 0.36. Hungary recorded the lowest rate at EUR 0.11, followed by Malta and Bulgaria at EUR 0.13.

Average household electricity prices in the EU declined by 2.2% to EUR 0.28 per kWh compared with the second half of 2025. They nevertheless remained well above levels recorded before the 2022 energy crisis.

Romania also posted the EU’s largest year-on-year rise in household natural gas prices, at 9.3%. Croatia followed with an increase of 8.9%, while Slovakia recorded 6.6%, according to Eurostat.

Despite that increase, Romania remained among the countries with the lowest nominal gas prices, at EUR 0.06 per kWh, the same as Slovakia. Only Hungary, at EUR 0.03, and Croatia, at EUR 0.05, recorded lower prices.

Across the EU, average household gas prices fell to EUR 0.11 per kWh, down 10.2% from the second half of 2025 and 3.5% from the first half of that year. Eurostat said this was the lowest EU average recorded since the first half of 2022.