Weak spring flood sends electricity prices soaring

A weak spring flood in northern Sweden will push electricity prices to nearly double last year’s levels in May and June, according to a forecast by energy analyst firm Bixia, as reported by SVT Nyheter.

The annual spring flood, which typically runs from late April to the end of May, is expected to begin this week—but with unusually low water flows due to limited snow accumulation. This year’s weak flood, combined with high fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East, is driving up costs.

“We haven’t seen this little snow since the winter of 2019, and it’s clearly affecting the spring flood,” said Johan Sigvardsson, a price analyst at Bixia, in a statement. He added that fuel prices remain elevated compared to last year due to instability in the region, further impacting Swedish electricity costs.

After a relatively expensive April, the system price for electricity is projected to average 55 öre (€0.049) per kilowatt-hour in May and 50 öre (€0.045) in June—compared to 31 öre and 21 öre, respectively, during the same period in 2025. How prices evolve for the rest of 2026 will depend largely on summer rainfall levels.