Day-ahead electricity prices fell across most of Southeast Europe for delivery on 14 August 2026, with forecast solar generation rising while regional consumption stayed broadly stable. Hourly price patterns continued to show evening tightness alongside wide intraday spreads. Greece remained the cheapest market, while Italy’s premium supported regional exports.
Hungary’s HUPX baseload price dropped by €19.90 to €143.76/MWh for the day-ahead delivery. Romania fell by €20.60 to €142.91/MWh, Slovenia by €21.50 to €144.19/MWh and Croatia by €20.90 to €143.95/MWh. These four markets were tightly linked, with only €1.28/MWh separating the highest and lowest prices in the group.
Austria also stayed near the regional cluster, settling at €143.25/MWh. Serbia recorded the largest absolute decline, falling €22.50 to €134.72/MWh. Bulgaria ended at €125.33/MWh after a €13 drop, while Albania decreased by €11.30 to €135.33/MWh.
Greece remained Southeast Europe’s lowest-priced market at €96.98/MWh, up by €1.20 on the day. The Greek price was €46.78/MWh below HUPX levels. Montenegro rose by €9.50 to €151.51/MWh, while Italy stayed the most expensive major market at €174.55/MWh.
Solar and wind outlook shifts midday pricing
Forecast regional electricity consumption was set at 31,835 MW, only 54 MW higher than the previous day. Forecast solar output increased by 1,916 MW, while wind generation declined by 531 MW. As a result, combined solar and wind availability rose by approximately 1,385 MW.
The stronger solar outlook pushed midday prices lower across the region’s hourly curves. In Hungary, the hourly minimum reached €29.60/MWh at H12, compared with a daily maximum of €261.70/MWh at H21, producing an intraday spread of €232.10/MWh.
HUPX’s reported peak average was €111.40/MWh, compared with an off-peak average of €176.10/MWh. The profile reflected weak daytime pricing during solar-heavy hours and stronger pricing as the system moved into the evening ramp.
The pattern was more pronounced in Greece, where HEnEx reached zero at H12 and the peak-block average fell to €46.50/MWh. Prices then recovered to a maximum of €161.40/MWh at H20.
Italy’s hourly profile remained firmer than elsewhere in the region, staying above €130/MWh even at the daily minimum and reaching €254.70/MWh at H21. The persistent Italian premium continued to support economic incentives for Southeast European exports toward Italy.
Cross-border flows and Greek demand decline
The SEE and Hungarian system was a net exporter of approximately 471 MW on average, up by 281 MW from the previous day. Flows toward Italy averaged around 1,261 MW, consistent with Italy trading at a premium of €30.79/MWh versus Hungary.
Imports into Hungary and Slovenia from Austria and Slovakia averaged 894 MW, down by 151 MW compared with the previous day’s level.
Greek consumption declined by 458 MW as temperatures fell by 1.6°C, reinforcing Greece’s surplus position and low-price standing in the region’s market set-up.
Hungarian prompt contracts and commodity signals
The bearish move in day-ahead pricing carried into Hungarian prompt power contracts for Week 34 and Week 35 as well as September delivery. Week 34 fell by €4 to €156.50/MWh, Week 35 declined by €3.50 to €157/MWh and September lost €1.50 to settle at €161/MWh.
Despite lower levels, Hungarian forward prices maintained a premium over Germany during the session period referenced in the data provided. The HU-DE spread was €25.50/MWh for Week 34, €27.50/MWh for Week 35 and €26.50/MWh for September, with all three prompt spreads narrowing during the session.
Gas and carbon markets showed mixed movement alongside power: CEGH gas fell by €1.20 to €60.73/MWh, while EU allowances rose by €0.80 to €82.74 per tonne. September gas increased by €1.50 to €61.50/MWh.
Nuclear outages and Danube water levels add supply risk
The immediate market signal remained bearish during solar-heavy hours, while supply risks continued to constrain downside in the underlying conditions described in the data.
At Romania’s Cernavodă nuclear plant, both units were unavailable, removing approximately 1,360 MW of capacity that normally supplies close to one-fifth of Romanian electricity consumption.
Romania requested regional support and is seeking to retain almost 900 MW of coal-fired capacity beyond its planned retirement date.
Paks, Hungary’s nuclear plant faces additional risk from low Danube water levels affecting cooling-water availability; emergency construction work has begun for protection measures related to drought conditions.
The factors highlighted as capable of tightening supply conditions were Italian export demand, nuclear availability changes and Danube conditions affecting cooling-water access.