30 euro petrol cap
The wholesale electricity price trajectory for Spain remains in focus as a new weekly pattern emerges. This Sunday, the market price is expected to ease further, mirroring a notable drop from Saturdays levels. OMIE data, which Europa Press has cited, show the average pool price sliding to around 159 euros per megawatt hour, marking a substantial decline from the prior day.
In practical terms, Sunday’s pool price is estimated at 159.33 euro per MWh, roughly 82 euros lower than Saturday’s figure of 241.59 euro per MWh. The shift reflects ongoing dynamics in the Iberian market and is watched closely by households whose regulated bills follow the pool benchmark. Data come from the Iberian Energy Market Operator and have been summarized by Europa Press for public understanding.
The market has recently seen dramatic swings. Last Friday, the pool price briefly hit a low that reflected the unusual conditions surrounding the conflict in Ukraine, underscoring how geopolitical factors can influence wholesale costs. The most extreme hourly price projections for Sunday place the ceiling around 282.48 euro per MWh between midnight and 1:00, while the floor could dip to roughly 1.03 euro per MWh between 15:00 and 18:00. A mid-afternoon window from 12:00 to 15:00 is also expected to present very low prices, around 3.7 euro per MWh, highlighting the volatility typical of wholesale markets.
Compared with twelve months ago, Sunday’s pool price would be significantly higher. The 2021 reference shows a price of 65.01 euro per MWh on April 10, making the current level substantially greater on a year-on-year basis. This comparison illustrates the broad changes in electricity costs over the past year and the sensitivity of household bills to wholesale movements, as observed by market observers and regulatory bodies.
Pool prices do not sit in isolation; they exert direct influence on the PVPC, the regulated rate used by approximately 11 million households in Spain. The pool also serves as a benchmark for the wider 17 million households that participate in the free market. According to the National Markets and Competition Commission, PVPC transitions to fixed-price offers in the free market have continued as part of a broader trend during periods of rising energy costs. The CNMC has documented that around 1.25 million people moved from PVPC to fixed-price free-market rates in 2021 amid the upward trajectory of energy prices.
In late March, the government advanced a national plan designed to cushion Ukrainian war–related price pressures. The package includes extending the electricity tax relief through June 30 and expanding a social tariff to reach more than 1.9 million beneficiary households. These measures aim to soften the impact of wholesale volatility on consumer bills and maintain affordability during a period of global energy tension. The plan has been framed as a temporary and targeted intervention, subject to ongoing assessment and implementation by authorities.
30 euro gas price cap proposal
Spain and Portugal have jointly presented a preliminary proposal to the European Commission that would set a gas reference price at 30 euros per MWh as a mechanism to ease electricity prices. The vice president and minister for ecological transition, Teresa Ribera, stated clearly that the proposal is a collaborative effort between the two governments and would require negotiations with European authorities before becoming effective.
Ribera indicated that if the proposal is accepted, the electricity price could be capped within three to four weeks. She urged patience, noting that the plan would need formal acceptance and to fully address any technical concerns regarding its proper functioning. The discussion centers on balancing rapid impact with ensuring a robust and reliable mechanism that stabilizes daily wholesale offers from gas-fired plants and other generators.
Should the proposal move forward, it would likely affect pool prices by altering the daily sales bids of gas-enabled combined-cycle plants in the wholesale market. The intention behind the cap is to moderate wholesale price signals and, by extension, ease consumer bills while still maintaining a functional energy market. The outcome depends on continued negotiations with European Union authorities and on the design details that govern how such a cap would be implemented in practice.