Since the beginning of this year, several cities and municipalities in Serbia have increased prices for water, waste collection, property taxes, and recently, the state raised excise taxes on fuel, tobacco, gas heating, alcoholic beverages, and now electricity prices, although only for businesses. The Electric Power Industry of Serbia (EPS) confirmed to Danas that negotiations are ongoing regarding new electricity prices for commercial customers, i.e., companies whose contracts are soon to expire.
The electricity price for businesses varies from company to company, depending on the agreement made between the supplier (in this case, EPS) and the customer. According to Nova Ekonomija, the new price will increase by 8-12%, but EPS has neither confirmed nor denied this information.
Nova Ekonomija also reported that EPS offered two proposals to businesses: one to maintain the price at €106.14 per megawatt-hour until the end of the year, and another to enter a contract lasting until the end of 2026 at €101.9 per megawatt-hour. EPS has not confirmed or denied these details either.
In 2022, during the energy crisis, the government froze electricity prices for businesses at €75 per megawatt-hour, later raising it in September 2022 to €95, and again in May 2023 to €110.81. In May 2023, the price was reduced by 20%, and a new pricing methodology was implemented in September 2023.
Energy expert Željko Marković explained that businesses can freely negotiate prices with their suppliers according to market conditions, and there are alternatives to EPS. He also noted that EPS likely set its prices based on market trends and future electricity price forecasts. For instance, the average price of electricity in Southeast Europe (SEEPEX) was €116 per megawatt-hour on March 24, 2025, while in neighboring countries, it was different—around €130 in Slovenia and €60 in Hungary. Marković concluded that EPS’s offered price of €106 is about €15 lower than what he would expect based on current market conditions.
EPS stated that new pricing methodologies, introduced in September 2023, aim to meet commercial customers’ needs while ensuring financial sustainability for the company. The methodology considers current market trends and provides more flexible pricing models, including fixed prices, prices adjusted periodically based on market conditions, and prices tied to reference market rates.
Dragoljub Rajić, coordinator of the Business Support Network, criticized the price increase, arguing that it would worsen the competitiveness of Serbian companies in foreign markets. He pointed out that domestic inflation, the fixed exchange rate, and rising costs have already increased the burden on businesses, reducing their ability to export goods.
As for EPS’s profit, Marković believes it will depend on whether the year is dry or not. A drought could lead to higher electricity prices, potentially reducing EPS’s profit despite the price hike. Conversely, a drop in prices would improve EPS’s financial performance.
