While the broader EU market saw average prices for non-household consumers retreat to €18.37 per 100 kWh—a 3.5% decrease compared to H1—the Romanian market bucked the trend with a sharp 15.4% surge.

The divergence highlights a growing disparity between Eastern European energy markets and the rest of the bloc. While 18 EU member states registered price drops, Romania's spike was the highest recorded, followed by Sweden (+9.4%) and Bulgaria (+6.8%).

For medium-sized industrial consumers with annual requirements between 500 MWh and 2,000 MWh, this translates to a significant competitive disadvantage.

The EU-wide downward trajectory has been largely consistent since early 2023, when prices reached a high of €21.51 per 100 kWh.