Universal electricity service margins differed sevenfold in January

Please note that the article is more than five years old and belongs to our archive. We do not update the content of the archives, so it may be necessary to consult newer sources.
Copy
Photo: Peeter Langovits

There was a sevenfold difference between the lowest and the highest markup charged by electricity sellers for universal service on Estonia's open market in January, a comparison by the independent website energiaturg.ee revealed.

In January Maardu Elekter and Anne Soojus had the lowest margins, 0.24 cents inclusive of VAT, and Kuvart had the highest at 1.56 cents with VAT included.

Markups of larger universal service providers were above average: Eesti Energia charged 0.72 cents and Imatra Elekter 0.63 cents. The margin of VKG Elektrivorgud, 0.49 cents, was one of the lowest.

"The difference between the highest and the lowest margin in January was sevenfold, which ought to raise questions in the Competition Authority," manager of the website Moonika Kukke said.

The cost of universal service in February will become known on March 9 and then it will be seen whether providers have changed their markups, Kukke added.

The energiaturg.ee website allows consumers to compare electricity packages of 220 Energia, Eesti Energia, Eesti Gaas, Elektrimüügi AS, Elektrum, Imatra Elekter, VKG Elektrivõrgud, Loo Elekter, Elveso, TS Energia, Saku Maja and Veerenni Jaotusvõrk. The remaining smaller electricity sellers have not yet posted price information on their websites but once the data is released it will be added to the comparison.

The website is developed jointly by the law firm Glimstedt, investment company Capital Mill and IT company Helmes.

Top