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Why electricity prices are set for record lows throughout 2020 in Sweden

2020 is set to be the cheapest year for electricity in modern Swedish history.

Why electricity prices are set for record lows throughout 2020 in Sweden
A lot of windy weather is one of the reasons for the low prices. Photo: Magnus Hjalmarson Neideman / SvD / TT

“It's truly extreme,” said Christian Holtz, an electricity analyst at Sweco. 

More wind power and windy weather, along with a lot of water in reservoirs, are two of the factors behind the forecasts.

On the Nordpool power exchange, a kilowatt-hour currently costs around 15 öre, which is extremely low for mid-winter.

The so-called futures, or prices for the second and third quarter, are currently set at around ten öre, and likely to rise to around 24 öre in the fourth quarter of 2020.

“You have to go back to the start of the millennium to find corresponding levels, and then the monetary value was different,” said Holtz. In other words, ten öre today is cheaper than the same price in the early 2000s.

The main explanation for the low prices is the large amounts of rain that have filled reservoirs to unusually high levels.

“The so-called hydrological balance is very significant for the electricity price and it doesn't look like we'll run out of water in the near future. So there is little evidence to suggest that traders will be wrong about prices in the autumn,” said Holtz. 

What's more, wind power has increased significantly. Recent storms have affected the electricity price, sometimes even pushing it to minus prices, while an unusually mild winter has led to less electricity consumption and therefore even lower prices.

The fact that Vattenfall closed a nuclear reactor at the end of 2019 hasn't had a negative impact given that so much of Swedish electricity is dependent on these weather-based factors. 

So how much will your electricity bill be affected?

Despite record low prices, the cost of the electricity itself is actually a relatively small part of what consumers pay in their bill. Taxes, fixed prices and electricity grid fees mean that the typical consumer living in an apartment pays around 2 kronor per kilowatt hours. 

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MONEY

How to avoid falling victim to tax scams in Sweden

Sweden's tax agency, Skatteverket, warns of an increase in scams when it's time for Swedish tax-payers to declare their taxes.

How to avoid falling victim to tax scams in Sweden

Anyone who earned more than 22,208 kronor last year received their tax returns digitally last week, marking the start of tax season.

That also means an expected peak in tax-related scams, Skatteverket warns.

Most of the scams are so-called phishing scams, meaning attempts to steal the victims’ personal information. Fraudsters may for example email a person, pretending to represent Skatteverket, and ask them for, among other things, their banking details.

“We’re seeing these in all channels. They use fake emails, SMS, letters and in some cases even phone calls. It is particularly common in tax declaration times – just when we’re about to send out the tax returns, the e-service opens and it’s possible to declare – but above all when it’s time for tax rebates,” Jan Janowski, a Skatteverket expert, told Swedish news agency TT.

A scam email might for example state that you’re entitled to a tax rebate and that you should click a link to receive it. Don’t click any links, open any attachments or reply to the message. Skatteverket advises that you immediately delete the email or text message.

Another common scam is that you receive a text message claiming to be from Skatteverket, telling you that you owe them money and you need to log in to calculate the amount. The website you’re urged to log in via does not belong to Skatteverket. Don’t click the link.

The agency stresses that it never asks people for their banking details. The exception is that you may be asked for your bank account information if you log into Skatteverket’s website to declare your taxes, but that always first requires you to log into the site.

To receive your tax rebate, you need to inform Skatteverket of your bank account number. You do this not by clicking a link in an email or SMS, but by logging into their website using a digital ID, for example BankID, and submitting your details. Only do this on your own initiative. If someone calls you and asks you to log in with your BankID during the phone call, don’t do it. That’s another common scam.

Skatteverket will also never call you to ask for your bank account or credit card number.

It will be possible to declare your taxes from March 19th. You’ll receive any tax rebate you’re owed by mid-April or early June, depending on when you submit your tax return. These are the dates when fraudsters are likely to attempt the most scams.

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