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| Endesa introduces half-hour electricity exchange platform in France  Endesa France has launched the first half-hour electricity exchange platform in France. This management system, the only one of its kind in France, allows for trading of half-hour contracts, optimising the management of shortfalls and increasing the value of the surpluses of each member of the platform. The platform is currently being used by three major operators, though more companies are expected to join, which would significantly increase synergies. In France, the System Operator (RTE) is responsible for ensuring the balance between supply and demand, providing the energy that is required or withdrawing excess power. RTE is also responsible for passing back the cost of the shortfall to the operator which has generated it. According to the rules of the French market, the shortfalls between planned and actual electricity, are measured at half-hour intervals.However, for reasons of standardisation with other countries, the French energy market is organised hourly. This means operators can exchange electricity for each hour of the following day, but not for each half-hour period. Consequently, even when energy surpluses or deficits can be predicted for each half hour, operators sustain the deficit due to a lack of counterparties trading this type of product. These are the reasons behind Endesa France's decision to introduce this platform for half-hour exchanges. Every day operators announce their bids or offers for the 48 half-hour periods of the following day. If purchase and sale match, the transaction is performed and the information is communicated to the system operator. In this way, these operators reduce their stranded costs, while the System avoids imbalances between supply and demand. Thanks to the trades carried out on the new platform, operators reduced their programming shortfalls by 10% in January 2007 alone. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Construction News :: home page |