Spain electricity wholesale prices fall 18.5% on Saturday

Electricity wholesale prices in Spain saw a significant decrease on Saturday, falling 18.52% to 138.11 €/MWh. This drop follows a period of volatility where prices had exceeded the 150 €/MWh threshold for three consecutive days, reaching 169.50 €/MWh on Friday.

For consumers on the regulated tariff (PVPC), hourly pricing fluctuates based on these wholesale market rates. On Friday, the cheapest period for electricity usage was between 14:00 and 15:00 at 0.09259 €/kWh, while the most expensive period occurred between 21:00 and 22:00 at 0.37782 €/kWh.

Market fluctuations are driven by factors such as natural gas prices and CO2 emission rights. The wholesale price is determined by the balance of available generation and predicted demand, with gas plants often setting the marginal price during periods of high demand or low renewable input.