Reference
Sweden is divided into four electricity price areas by Nord Pool. The north has cheap, stable power (mostly hydro), the south has expensive, volatile power (continental import). For heat pump owners the zone determines both the bill size and how much smart control can save.
| Area | Main city | Avg price | Volatility | Spread (öre/kWh) | Savings (smart control) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE1 | Luleå | 35 öre/kWh | Low | 15–60 öre | 5–10 % |
| SE2 | Sundsvall | 40 öre/kWh | Low | 18–65 öre | 8–15 % |
| SE3 | Stockholm / Mälardalen | 85 öre/kWh | High | 20–250 öre | 18–28 % |
| SE4 | Malmö / Skåne | 105 öre/kWh | Very high | 20–600+ öre | 22–32 % |
Average figures based on Nord Pool 2024 spot prices including VAT, grid and energy tax for a typical Swedish villa.
Northern Sweden
Inland and coastal northern Sweden. Heavy hydro power, low population, surplus generation. Lowest average price in the country — but also the least volatility, so smart control only delivers a marginal financial gain here.
North-Central Sweden
The rest of central and northern Sweden. Hydro-dominated. Average price only slightly above SE1 but with somewhat more price spikes due to southward grid connections.
South-Central Sweden
Sweden’s most populous area. High consumption, dependent on imports during cold snaps, with a large share of nuclear. Smart control delivers a clear financial gain here.
Southern Sweden
Sweden’s most expensive price area. Heavy continental influence (Denmark, Germany) means individual hours can exceed SEK 10 / kWh during cold snaps. Smart control is essentially mandatory for heat pump owners here.
Nord Pool split Sweden into four price areas in 2011 to make the north-south grid bottleneck visible. The bulk of generation sits in northern Sweden (hydro), while the bulk of consumption sits in central and southern Sweden. The transmission grid has limited capacity to move electricity south.
When wind is strong in the north and it’s cold in the south, price differentials between areas appear — cheap power in SE1/SE2, expensive power in SE3/SE4. For heat pump owners, your zone largely determines how much smart control can save you: in SE4 a single day can save hundreds of kronor; in SE1 the gain is marginal.
It’s on your electricity bill. Broadly:
You can’t pick the area yourself — it’s determined by your grid operator.
Volatility — the gap between the most expensive and cheapest hour — is what determines how much smart control can save you. SE4 has 5× the volatility of SE1.
