Wholesale power prices rose across much of Southeast Europe in the week to September 13 while regional electricity demand declined, highlighting the role of renewable output and cross-border capacity in short-term pricing.

September 17, 2026

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Regional demand trends in the week to September 13

Electricity demand across the monitored area fell 4.7% week on week to 17.67 TWh. Consumption dropped in almost all markets, including Greece, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Türkiye. Romania was the only country with an increase, with demand up 1% to 920.3 GWh.

Price movements despite lower system load

The fall in regional load did not lead to lower prices across the board. Serbia recorded the largest rise, up 11.1% to €155.70/MWh. Croatia followed with a weekly average increase of 8.5% to €176.34/MWh.

Romania saw prices climb by 6.2% to €177.28/MWh, while Hungary moved higher by 4.6% to €177.31/MWh. Bulgaria increased by 2.5% to €166.96/MWh. Greece and Türkiye diverged from the broader regional direction.

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The Greek average price declined by 3.2% to €155.32/MWh. Türkiye fell by 8.9% to €47.37/MWh, keeping a substantial discount versus interconnected European markets.

Renewable generation and cross-border flows affecting supply conditions

Supply conditions were cited as a key factor behind the gap between demand and pricing outcomes. Wind and solar generation decreased by 7%, reaching 3.66 TWh, which removed around 270 GWh of low-marginal-cost electricity from the regional mix.

Hydropower and thermal output changes during the week

Hydropower generation declined by 2.1%, while thermal generation decreased by 1.8%. Together with lower wind and solar output, these changes reduced the amount of lower-cost supply available during periods when demand was also falling.