Energy market competition does not necessarily lead to low prices for consumers, partly because a lot of the costs of lighting their homes or fueling their cars is due to tax.
Greek householders enjoy the cheapest power in Europe, although there is one big supplier, while Danish consumers pay the most for their electricity despite being able to choose from a number of companies, according to European Union data.
Consumers in the United Kingdom, one of the most liberalized markets in Europe, enjoy the second-cheapest electricity after Greece and the cheapest power in Western Europe, when prices are adjusted to account for purchasing power.
In terms of purchasing power parity, a typical residential consumer of 100 kWh pays 8.01 euros in Greece, 9.05 euros in the UK and 24.48 euros in Slovakia, the most expensive EU country for electricity consumers.
(Reuters)