Energy prices 9 percent up

The average Dutch household spent 156 euro on gas and electricity in January 2012, i.e. 13 euro more than one year previously.

Higher delivery charges

The higher energy bill is predominantly due to rising delivery rates for natural gas by 9 euro. Gas delivery rates partly depend on the oil price, which has risen substantially over the latter half of 2011. Because energy is often bought in advance, the effect of the oil price increase does not become noticeable in energy prices until January 2012.

Save higher electricity delivery rates, transport costs and energy tax also contributed to the size of the energy bill.

Monthly energy bill January 2012 compared to January 2011

Energy price increase more than three times as high as CPI

Over a period of fifteen years, energy prices have risen three times as fast as prices of other goods and services.  Energy prices are nearly 120 percent higher in January 2012 than fifteen years ago. The consumer price index (CPI) rose by 35 percent between January 1997 and January 2012.

Energy price developments and CPI

Cees van der Vlis and Carel Oosterlaken