Albanian government adopts decision to set up power exchange

The Government of Albania has adopted a decision to establish a power exchange, with day-ahead and intraday markets, according to the Albanian energy minister, Belinda Balluku.

The power exchange will be established in accordance with EU directives and as a step in energy sector reforms, Balluku said in a press release, adding that the power exchange will speed up the electricity market liberalization and deregulation.

OST, Albania’s state-owned transmission system operator (TSO), will be in charge of setting up a company to operate the power exchange. The operator will be a joint stock company, and the Albanian government will select its shareholders.

Balluku sees transmission system operators that have signed memorandums of understanding with Albania as potential shareholders.

The IFC and the Energy Community Secretariat have assisted the Albanian government in this move

The purpose of establishing a power exchange is to ensure reliable services for power market participants in order to increase the security of power supply in the country and improve financial transparency.

The decision to set up a power exchange is a major step in fulfilling obligations Albania has under the Energy Community acquis, Balluku said. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Energy Community Secretariat have assisted the Albanian government in this move.

In March, OST signed a memorandum of understanding with Bulgaria’s and Macedonia’s respective TSOs.

The MoU includes the coupling of the day-ahead markets, to be accompanied by an implicit allocation of interconnection capacities in line with the European target model.

In February 2018, Janez Kopač, director of the Energy Community Secretariat, said the creation of a national power exchange – the Albanian Power Exchange (APEX) – would be a real game changer not just for Albania, but also the entire region.