Italian day-ahead power averaged €215.82/MWh in the week to 20 September, rising 2.51% week on week. The market stayed the highest-priced in Southeast Europe while Italy’s electricity consumption and net imports declined.
Prices in Italy were about €60/MWh above Greece and about €34/MWh above Hungary. Italy also remained the largest net importer among the markets covered, with imports totaling 926.37 GWh. Its import volume fell 17.77% despite the higher price level.
Weaker demand and lower generation
Italian demand decreased by 9.21% to 5,391.13 GWh, representing the largest absolute reduction among the countries in the report. Gas-fired generation fell by 10.86%, contributing to an 8.87% decline in total thermal output. The changes in consumption and generation coincided with reduced net import volumes.
Price signals versus physical delivery constraints
The combination of a high price and lower imports highlighted the need to test regional price comparisons against physical flows. A neighbouring producer may face an attractive Italian price, but deliverable volumes depend on interconnector availability and hourly market conditions, as well as domestic needs. Italy’s premium remained substantial through a week of weaker demand.
For Southeast European exporters, access to the Italian market remained commercially valuable in light of that premium. The realised trading margin is settled at the border and hour of delivery, reflecting how cross-border flows translate into market outcomes.