Negative Electricity Prices and Price Spikes in Europe, 2026
In 2026 up to 2026-10-29 (29 October 2026), Spain had the most hours with a day-ahead electricity price below zero, 693 hours (9.6% of hours), and 34 of 46 current European bidding zones had at least one. Figures come from day-ahead prices, the prices set the day before delivery. They cover 2026-10-29 (29 October 2026) at the latest and are counted in local delivery days.
Key Facts
- In 2026 up to 2026-10-29 (29 October 2026), Spain had the most hours with a day-ahead electricity price below zero, 693 hours (9.6% of hours), and 34 of 46 current European bidding zones had at least one.
- In October 2026 up to 2026-10-29 (29 October 2026), Greece had the most hours below zero, 72.25 hours.
- Spain had the longest streak of consecutive days with at least one negative price in 2026, 16 days, from 2026-03-22 (22 March 2026) to 2026-04-06 (6 April 2026).
- The lowest price among EUR zones in 2026 was EUR -500.00/MWh in Czechia on 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026).
- The highest price among EUR zones in 2026 was EUR 1,096.86/MWh in Slovenia on 2026-06-30 (30 June 2026).
- 12 current zones had no price below zero in 2026: Albania, Italy Calabria, Italy Centre-North, Italy Centre-South, Italy North, Italy Sardinia, Italy Sicily, Italy South, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Ukraine (IPS).
What Are Negative Electricity Prices?
A negative price means that, in that market interval, sellers pay to deliver electricity instead of being paid. It happens when supply is larger than demand and some generators cannot or will not switch off: wind and solar plants that earn a subsidy per unit produced, plants that must run for grid stability or heat supply, and plants that cost too much to stop and restart for a few hours. Typical cases are sunny or windy midday hours on weekends and holidays, when demand is low.
This page counts day-ahead prices only. It says nothing about what households pay: retail tariffs include network charges and taxes and mostly do not follow the wholesale price hour by hour, so a negative wholesale price is not a bill credit for most people. The lowest price in this data is close to -500 per MWh, which appears to be the lowest price the coupled day-ahead market allows.
A price spike is the opposite: an interval where the price is far above the usual level, typically when demand is high and wind and solar output is low. The highest and lowest prices below are single market intervals of 15 or 60 minutes, not daily averages, and every price is in the zone's own currency per MWh. Hours and days can be compared across all zones; prices are ranked only among zones using the same currency.
Hours Below Zero by Bidding Zone, 2026 So Far
Ranked by hours, 46 current zones| # | Bidding zone | Hours below zero, 2026 | Share of hours | Days with negative prices | Longest streak of days | Hours below zero, October 2026 | Data to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 693 hours | 9.6% | 118 days | 16 days | 8.75 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 2 | Portugal | 545.75 hours | 7.6% | 104 days | 16 days | 7.75 hours | 2026-10-27 |
| 3 | France | 535.25 hours | 7.4% | 111 days | 16 days | 1.5 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 4 | Greece | 508 hours | 7.1% | 100 days | 12 days | 72.25 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 5 | Germany and Luxembourg | 465 hours | 6.4% | 92 days | 13 days | 1.75 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 6 | Netherlands | 408.75 hours | 5.7% | 87 days | 12 days | 15.75 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 7 | Belgium | 311.5 hours | 4.3% | 72 days | 12 days | 7.75 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 8 | Poland | 303.5 hours | 4.2% | 81 days | 9 days | 3 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 9 | Czechia | 280.25 hours | 3.9% | 63 days | 12 days | 0.25 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 10 | Slovakia | 264.5 hours | 3.7% | 56 days | 12 days | 1 hour | 2026-10-28 |
| 11 | Austria | 253.5 hours | 3.5% | 63 days | 6 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 12 | Switzerland | 239 hours | 3.3% | 48 days | 6 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 13 | Slovenia | 236.75 hours | 3.3% | 56 days | 6 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 14 | Hungary | 223.5 hours | 3.1% | 54 days | 12 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 15 | Croatia | 219.75 hours | 3.0% | 49 days | 6 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 16 | Denmark West (DK1) | 207.75 hours | 2.9% | 48 days | 8 days | 3 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 17 | Norway North (NO4) | 181 hours | 2.5% | 35 days | 7 days | 6.25 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 18 | Romania | 171.75 hours | 2.4% | 40 days | 6 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 19 | Bulgaria | 152.25 hours | 2.1% | 34 days | 5 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 20 | Sweden North-Central (SE2) | 112.75 hours | 1.6% | 26 days | 2 days | 13.25 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 21 | Denmark East (DK2) | 92.75 hours | 1.3% | 22 days | 3 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 22 | Sweden South-Central (SE3) | 90.5 hours | 1.2% | 24 days | 3 days | 20.5 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 23 | Sweden South (SE4) | 89 hours | 1.2% | 22 days | 3 days | 2.5 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 24 | Sweden North (SE1) | 71.75 hours | 1.0% | 26 days | 3 days | 16 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 25 | Lithuania | 66.5 hours | 0.9% | 17 days | 3 days | 5.25 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 26 | Latvia | 61.25 hours | 0.8% | 14 days | 3 days | 5.25 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 27 | Finland | 56.25 hours | 0.8% | 15 days | 2 days | 7 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 28 | Norway South-West (NO2) | 54.5 hours | 0.8% | 21 days | 2 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 29 | Estonia | 45 hours | 0.6% | 12 days | 2 days | 5.25 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 30 | Serbia | 42 hours | 0.6% | 8 days | 2 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 31 | Norway South-East (NO1) | 11.5 hours | 0.2% | 4 days | 2 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 32 | Ireland and Northern Ireland (SEM) | 4 hours | 0.06% | 1 day | 1 day | 0 hours | 2026-10-27 |
| 33 | Norway Central (NO3) | 2.25 hours | 0.03% | 1 day | 1 day | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 34 | Norway West (NO5) | 0.75 hours | 0.01% | 1 day | 1 day | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 35 | Albania | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 36 | Italy Calabria | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 37 | Italy Centre-North | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 38 | Italy Centre-South | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 39 | Italy North | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 40 | Italy Sardinia | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 41 | Italy Sicily | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 42 | Italy South | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-28 |
| 43 | Kosovo | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 44 | Montenegro | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 45 | North Macedonia | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
| 46 | Ukraine (IPS) | 0 hours | 0.0% | 0 days | 0 days | 0 hours | 2026-10-29 |
Hours are time weighted, so 15 minute and 60 minute intervals count alike. Share of hours is hours below zero divided by 24 times the days with data, so it is approximate on clock change days. A streak is consecutive local days each with at least one interval below zero. Zones are counted up to their own latest delivery day, shown in the last column.
Source: ENTSO-E Transparency Platform (transparency.entsoe.eu), CC BY 4.0. Aggregated and converted by World Power Monitor; ENTSO-E does not endorse this site. (ENTSO-E Terms of Use plus CC BY 4.0 for listed data items) Data as of 2026-10-29. Hours below zero are computed by World Power Monitor from the day-ahead price statistics of each local delivery day.
Lowest Prices, 2026 So Far
EUR/MWh, single market interval| # | Bidding zone | Lowest price | Delivery day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Czechia | EUR -500.00/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
| 2 | Hungary | EUR -500.00/MWh | 2026-04-26 (26 April 2026) |
| 3 | Slovakia | EUR -500.00/MWh | 2026-04-26 (26 April 2026) |
| 4 | Germany and Luxembourg | EUR -499.99/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
| 5 | Netherlands | EUR -499.62/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
| 6 | Belgium | EUR -499.29/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
| 7 | Austria | EUR -498.65/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
| 8 | France | EUR -498.65/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
| 9 | Poland | EUR -490.00/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
| 10 | Slovenia | EUR -485.77/MWh | 2026-05-01 (1 May 2026) |
The 10 lowest of 45 zones priced in EUR. Every zone's own figures are on its page.
Source: ENTSO-E Transparency Platform (transparency.entsoe.eu), CC BY 4.0. Aggregated and converted by World Power Monitor; ENTSO-E does not endorse this site. (ENTSO-E Terms of Use plus CC BY 4.0 for listed data items) Data as of 2026-10-29.
Highest Prices, 2026 So Far
EUR/MWh, single market interval| # | Bidding zone | Highest price | Delivery day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slovenia | EUR 1,096.86/MWh | 2026-06-30 (30 June 2026) |
| 2 | Belgium | EUR 1,038.25/MWh | 2026-06-24 (24 June 2026) |
| 3 | Romania | EUR 1,015.65/MWh | 2026-06-30 (30 June 2026) |
| 4 | Croatia | EUR 1,000.04/MWh | 2026-06-30 (30 June 2026) |
| 5 | Hungary | EUR 999.00/MWh | 2026-06-30 (30 June 2026) |
| 6 | Denmark East (DK2) | EUR 911.14/MWh | 2026-02-17 (17 February 2026) |
| 7 | Netherlands | EUR 902.47/MWh | 2026-06-24 (24 June 2026) |
| 8 | Estonia | EUR 847.02/MWh | 2026-03-30 (30 March 2026) |
| 9 | Latvia | EUR 847.02/MWh | 2026-03-30 (30 March 2026) |
| 10 | Lithuania | EUR 847.02/MWh | 2026-03-30 (30 March 2026) |
The 10 highest of 45 zones priced in EUR.
Source: ENTSO-E Transparency Platform (transparency.entsoe.eu), CC BY 4.0. Aggregated and converted by World Power Monitor; ENTSO-E does not endorse this site. (ENTSO-E Terms of Use plus CC BY 4.0 for listed data items) Data as of 2026-10-29.
Zones Priced in Other Currencies
Native currency, not converted or ranked| Bidding zone | Hours below zero, 2026 | Lowest price | Highest price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine (IPS) | 0 hours | UAH 10.00/MWh (2026-04-05) | UAH 15,000.00/MWh (2026-01-13) |
These zones settle in a currency other than EUR. Their prices are shown as published and not compared with the EUR rankings above; their hours are comparable.
Source: ENTSO-E Transparency Platform (transparency.entsoe.eu), CC BY 4.0. Aggregated and converted by World Power Monitor; ENTSO-E does not endorse this site. (ENTSO-E Terms of Use plus CC BY 4.0 for listed data items) Data as of 2026-10-29.
Zones With No Recent Prices
Historical records only| Bidding zone | Latest delivery day held | Hours below zero that year |
|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 2020-12-30 (30 December 2020) | 91 hours in 2020 |
ENTSO-E holds no newer day-ahead prices for these zones, so they are left out of the rankings. Their pages keep the history that was published.
Source: ENTSO-E Transparency Platform (transparency.entsoe.eu), CC BY 4.0. Aggregated and converted by World Power Monitor; ENTSO-E does not endorse this site. (ENTSO-E Terms of Use plus CC BY 4.0 for listed data items) Data as of 2020-12-30.
Related
Cite this page
World Power Monitor. (2026). Negative Electricity Prices and Price Spikes in Europe. https://worldpowermonitor.com/prices/negative/
World Power Monitor. Negative Electricity Prices and Price Spikes in Europe. Data as of 2026-10-29. Data from ENTSO-E Transparency Platform. https://worldpowermonitor.com/prices/negative/
@misc{wpm_prices_negative_2026,
title = {{Negative Electricity Prices and Price Spikes in Europe}},
author = {{World Power Monitor}},
year = {2026},
note = {Data as of 2026-10-29. Data from ENTSO-E Transparency Platform.},
url = {https://worldpowermonitor.com/prices/negative/}
} Permalink: https://worldpowermonitor.com/prices/negative/
The Copy buttons add today's date as the access date.