Background information

Due to soaring energy prices caused by the war in Ukraine, the Swedish government proposes a high-cost ceiling for electricity, affecting both households and enterprises. EU regulation 2019/943 controls the way in which these transmission revenues can be used by national authorities. According to article 19.4 the national transmission operator can only use them with permission from the relevant regulatory authority, which in the case of Sweden is The Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate [Energimarknadsinspektionen].

Content of measure

The government wants the national electricity transmission operator, Svenska Kraftnät, to use a total of SEK 30 billion (€2.8 billion) of surplus transmission revenues to reduce electricity prices for households and enterprises. The details and possible criteria for the measure are not yet known. The national electricity transmission system operator, Svenska Kraftnät, has been tasked to investigate how surplus revenues from taxpayers can be used to either directly or indirectly reduce electricity prices. Before the scheme can be turned into policy it needs to be approved by The Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate, which is the regulatory authority for the electricity market.

Use of measure

Neither the government nor the authority has given any details concerning any eligibility criteria for the cost protection scheme. Svenska Kraftnät should however consider that the price for electricity has been significantly higher in the southern parts of Sweden.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

The measure is outside social partner domain.

Views and reactions

The measure is outside social partner domain.

Sources

• 17 August 2022: Högkostnadsskydd för elpriser (www.regeringen.se)