On Tuesday, new news came that the reactor shutdown at Ringhals 4 is being extended until January 31 next year.
Pontus de Maré, operations manager at Svenska kraftnät, says that the extended shutdown will affect prices and increase the risk that the electricity needs to be turned off.
- The risk has increased somewhat, absolutely.
That the reactor is shut down throughout the fall and part of the winter will affect electricity prices, according to electricity market analyst Christian Holtz.
- It was an unwanted and unfortunate announcement and it will have consequences for electricity prices, especially for southern Sweden, he says.
Christian Holtz believes that prices in Stockholm and Gothenburg will average three kroner per kilowatt-hour and around four kroner or higher in southern Sweden.
He explains, however, that there is great uncertainty and that electricity prices will also be affected by, for example, the weather during the winter.
Risk of the electricity being switched off
Furthermore, Christian Holtz sees that the risk of the electricity being cut off this winter increases as a result of the stop at Ringhals 4.
- In addition to higher electricity prices, the stop means an increased risk that Svenska kraftnät will have to disconnect electricity use this winter.
It is primarily southern Sweden that is in the danger zone for this.
Biggest impact in southern Sweden
Even Henrik Almström, analyst at the municipally owned electricity trading company Modity, sees the risk of increased prices and that the electricity is turned off.
- It is unfortunate that the stop at Ringhals 4 is being extended, we don't have that many reactors running and we have an electricity crisis.
Electricity prices will be affected in central and southern Sweden, and the risk of the electricity being switched off absolutely increases.
See more of what electricity market analyst Christian Holtz says in the player above.