Plans to create a single European cross-border capacity auction platform is holding back the Bulgarian transmission system operator from joining the regional platform. This is despite the fact a joint European auction platform might only be operational by 2019, petrochemical market information provider ICIS reported.

At a recent industry event, Victoria Popovska, head of the electricity market department at Bulgarian grid operator ESO, said it was not planning to join the recently established coordinated auction office SEE CAO, but instead waiting for the new joint EU auction office JAO.

Miloš Mladenović, corporate director for international and regulatory affairs at Serbian grid operator EMS, said that the company had started discussions with SEE CAO. EMS could use the auction platform for some of its borders before it joins JAO.

SEE CAO had faced numerous delays before it launched in the end of last year.

The grid operators of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro and Albania are shareholders, but it currently only holds daily and monthly auctions for the borders between Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro.

The participation of the Bulgarian and Serbian operators was considered crucial and they together with Macedonia were potentially facing dispute procedures if they failed to comply.

In the end of March, a representative of the Energy Community told ICIS that the organisation expects Serbia to participate in the 2016 coordinated yearly capacity auctions for the Southeast European markets.