Spring has been put on hold, the snow has fallen, at least in southern Sweden. And colder weather raises electricity consumption.
Paired with two currently decommissioned nuclear power reactors, Oskarshamn and one in Ringhals, the strained electricity situation in southern Sweden has once again come up on the table. Since Thursday morning, Svenska kraftnät has put the oil-fired reserve power plant in Karlshamn in stand-by mode.
More expensive throughout the country
It has also led to higher electricity prices. On Friday, the electricity price in the southern half of the country remains at a relatively high 1:31 kroner per kilowatt hour (kWh). It is admittedly somewhat lower than the last few days, but March is so far more expensive than February, although normally, based on the expected warmer spring weather, it should have looked different.
A third into March, even the 10th, the average price in southernmost Sweden (electricity area 4) is 1:28 kroner/kWh, which can be compared with the average for February of just over kroner.
In electricity area 3, Svealand and northern Götaland, the price here is well into March at SEK 1:07, compared to the whole of February at 82 öre/kWh. In the whole of Norrland, areas 1 and 2, the March figure so far stands at 63 öre, compared to 52 öre in February.
And no relief in the short term is to be expected. The weather forecasts are gossiping about continued cold throughout the next week. On the other hand, it looks like it will be quite windy at times, providing more wind power.