E.ON Netz, Energinet.dk, VE Transmission, Nord Pool Spot and EEX agreed to start the operation of day-ahead market coupling between Denmark and Germany on 3rd June 2008 for delivery next day. With the start of day-ahead market coupling cross-border power trading will become easier. Previously separated activities to get cross border capacities from transmission system operators and energy volumes from power exchanges at different times are unified to one single step. Traders only have to approach power exchanges to execute energy businesses between Denmark and Germany. Therefore market coupling will further improve market efficiency and will promote the further integration of regional markets towards a European-wide electricity market. Market participants are informed in more detail at an Information Seminar held in Hamburg today.
Taking into account the significant importance of electricity trading between the most liquid European trading areas of the Nordic countries and Germany the five project partners set up a joint initiative in late 2006. The joint initiative faces some major challenges to be able to take up operation, such as the design of new complex IT-systems. Legally, also the notification of the planned European Market Coupling Company (EMCC), performing market coupling services, to the European Commission under the relevant competition regulation is of more complex nature as no case of precedence exists so far. Already today, the initiative has become a great success and is an important milestone on the way to a European wide electricity market.
The Danish-German market coupling scheme is open to include other congested network capacities and to offer specific congestion management services. This serves as a key to build a power bridge across regional markets in Europe.
