2010/12/15

(BN) Poland, Sweden Start Power ‘Coupling’ as Markets Link

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Poland, Sweden Start Power 'Coupling' as Markets Link (Update2)
2010-12-15 15:16:35.94 GMT


(Adds comments from PolPX CEO, and capacity offered in
fourth and fifth paragraphs.)

By Marek Strzelecki
Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Poland and Sweden connected their
power markets through coupling to allow supplies to be directed
to the country with the highest prices, according to the Polish
Power Exchange.
The link-up started today on the 600-megawatt power cable
between the two countries, Agnieszka Czarnowska, marketing
director at the bourse known as PolPX, said by telephone.
In 2008, the European Regulators' Group for Electricity and
Gas, an adviser to the European Commission, recommended market
coupling on the 10-year-old Swe-Pol link to make best use of the
cable and develop the European power market. The link was built
under an agreement between Vattenfall AB and Sweden's and
Poland's power grid operators, Svenska Kraftnaet AB and Polskie
Sieci Energetyczne SA, respectively. Its capacity had been
managed by the owners.
The capacity will now be made available to members of
PolPX and the Nordic power exchange, Nord Pool Spot AS.
"Owing to the increasing dynamics of the trading on the
Polish power exchange the Polish electricity market has got
sufficient liquidity for rendering the first cross-border
connection available to third parties through the market
coupling mechanism," PolPX Chief Executive Officer Grzegorz
Onichmowski said in an e-mailed statement.
As much as 11,800 megawatt-hours in export capacity from
Poland to Sweden has been made available to third parties over
the 24 hours from midnight today, PolPX said. In the opposite
direction, as much as 2,448 megawatts-hours were made available,
PolPX said.
PolPX owner Towarowa Gielda Energii SA, Power Exchange
Central Europe A.S., Abwicklungsstelle Fuer Energieprodukte AG,
as well as bourses in the Czech Republic and Austria, in
February also signed an accord to link their markets.
The process will probably be completed before the end of
2011, Onichimowski said Nov. 15.

For Related News and Information:
Top Power Stories: PTOP <GO>
Eastern European Power Prices: ELES <GO>

--Editors: Jonas Bergman, Alex Devine

To contact the reporter on this story:
Marek Strzelecki in Warsaw at +48-22-433-4471 or
mstrzelecki1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Steve Voss at +44-207-073-3520 or sev@bloomberg.net