Von der Leyen complained about high energy prices in Europe
The head of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, said at the session of the European Parliament (EP) on February 11 that the cost of energy resources in Europe remains high and unstable, and called for accelerated investments in the development of renewable energy.
"Energy prices [in Europe] remain too high and too unstable," von der Leyen said, her speech published on the website of broadcasts of the EP plenary sessions.
According to her, one of the reasons for the price increase was the dependence of the European Union (EU) on carbon fuels, as well as the insufficient development of cross-border energy infrastructure, in particular, high-voltage power transmission lines, which limit the possibilities of energy redistribution between the countries of the union.
She noted that the average cost of electricity production in Europe now stands at about €100 per MWh for gas generation, €50-60 for nuclear and about €34 for solar. She cited these data as an argument in favor of expanding the use of alternative energy sources.
Von der Leyen also announced the EC's plans to support the creation of pan-European "energy highways" that will transfer excess wind generation from the Baltic Sea coast to the central regions of Europe, as well as direct electricity from solar power plants from the south to the north of the continent.
Bloomberg reported on February 9 that electricity prices in Northern Europe rose to the highest level since the beginning of the energy crisis at the end of 2022 amid rising demand due to the severe cold snap and the inability to compensate for supplies with wind power. Thus, prices on the Nord Pool exchange increased by 6.8%, to €158.53 per MWh, despite the fact that the level of electricity generation using wind is about 30% of the normal level.
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