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Intraday power prices in Germany jumped and natural gas-fired electricity generation rose to a two-year high this week as low wind speeds continue to depress wind power output. Natural gas use for power generation rose on Wednesday to its highest level since December 2022, as a wider power supply gap had to be filled by fossil fuels amid very weak wind power generation. ... Germany’s power margin, the available electricity supply to meet demand, has dropped this week to the lowest level so far this winter, as low wind speeds and colder weather are straining the power system. This week,...

Denmark received no bids in its largest-ever wind power tender, aimed to more than triple its offshore capacity by the end of the decade. The Danish Energy Agency hadn’t received a single bid in a tender for three offshore wind farms in the North Sea by Thursday’s deadline, it said in a statement. It now will initiate a dialog with the market to find out why. Denmark’s Climate and Energy Minister Lars Aagaard called the results “very disappointing” and said they were “not at all what was expected” when a broad majority in parliament entered into the political agreement to...

Californians are expecting skyrocketing natural gas bills this month, but this can’t all be blamed on the weather, according to industry insiders. Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), which serves about 5.9 million households and businesses, warned customers to expect “shockingly high” January bills that could be 128 percent higher compared to December. Those who typically paid around $65 a month last winter are likely to pay about $160 this year, SoCalGas said in a statement Dec. 29. Those with bills around $130 a month could see charges jump to $315. Last December, wholesale natural gas prices already cost five times...