Countries in South East Europe are on track to establishing a regional energy exchange, which will be functional by the end of this year, announced Mirela Săndulescu, Director of Strategic Cooperation in the OPCOM power exchange.
According to Opcom representative, at present about 72-73% of the current Romania consumption functions are integrated into OPCOM system.
According to the European Commission (EC), a regional approach is crucial for the integration of the European energy market, in terms of cross-border trade and security of supply.
A prime example of such regional cooperation was the creation, in early 2014 of the network of operators and energy exchanges in sixteen Member States, the so-called market coupling for the next day.
If regional energy exchange in South East Europe would be created this year, market coupling at pan-European markets including the EEA is planned to become operational in the second quarter of next year.
In February 2015, at least a portion of the northern border of Italy will be coupled to the mechanism.
Romania is in between some regions and will play a role of a hub for the SEE region in future.
Among the expected effects are achieving an integrated market price convergence, energy trading in one place (in stock), maximizing gain general market volatility, enhancing consistency reference price, reducing market abuses, to remove existing when separate trading, short-term interconnection capacity and creating new opportunities for cross-border trading.
