Latvia compared to EU peers in electricity and gas companies

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The market shares of the largest electricity and gas producers in the EU have been decreasing in most countries since 2013 according to data published by Eurostat March 16.

In the electricity market in 2020, the market share of the largest producer varied across EU Member States. The highest share was recorded in Cyprus (100%), where a single electricity company dominated national electricity production, followed by France (78%), Croatia (76%) and Czechia (71%). 

Latvia's largest electricity producer, Latvenergo, accounted for over half (57%) of the market. This was down on the 66% figure from 2019. However, it remains the only major electricity generating company. Croatia and Lithuania are the only other two EU member states with just one main generating company.

 

cumulative market share of main EU electricity companies
cumulative market share of main EU electricity companies

At the other end of the scale, the market share of the largest producer in the electricity market was less than 20% in three Member States: Luxembourg (18%), Poland (17%) and Italy (16%). Compared with 2013, the 2020 market share of the largest producer in the electricity market was lower in the majority of EU Member States. The decline in the market share ranged from -40 percentage points (pp) in Luxembourg (following the liberalisation of the electricity market) to -1 pp in Lithuania. In contrast, the share remained stable in Finland, while it increased in Bulgaria (+6 pp), Czechia (+4 pp), Hungary (+2 pp) and Romania (+1 pp).

EU elecricity companies market share, 2020
EU elecricity companies market share, 2020

For natural gas imports and production, the largest market share was 100% in Estonia, Malta and Sweden, where only one entity dominated national production and imports.

By contrast, the largest natural gas import and production company had the lowest level of market penetration in Spain (25%) and Czechia (26%).

For Latvia's largest Gas company, Gaso, the figure was 53%. This was down on the 2019 figure of 57% and well below the pre-unbundling era of  2016 when there was a 100% monopoly via the Latvijas Gaze company.

Main gas companies in EU and market share
Main gas companies in EU and market share

Compared with 2013, the market share of the largest natural gas import and production company decreased in 13 Member States with available data in 2020. Meanwhile, the share remained stable in Sweden (at 100%), whereas it increased in Lithuania (+17 pp), Estonia (+16 pp) and Slovakia (+11 pp).

EU largest gas production and import companies, 2020
EU largest gas production and import companies, 2020

 

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