North Macedonia, Greece, Albania, Kosovo* take step towards day-ahead market coupling

North Macedonia, Greece, Albania, and Kosovo* have signed memoranda of understanding on coupling their day-ahead electricity markets, as part of a process that involves all Balkan countries.

A merger into a single electricity market will introduce a new era of energy cooperation, bringing significant advantages for North Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo* and Greece in terms of improving energy security, integrating new energy sources, and ensuring lower electricity prices for consumers, according to a statement from MEPSO, North Macedonia’s transmission system operator

The signing of this memorandum is part of a process on which all the Balkan countries are working thoroughly and unreservedly, MEPSO’s general director Zuhdi Enuz said following the ceremony in the Greek capital Athens.

Enuz: merging electricity markets into a single European market will benefit both the economy and consumers

“The process of merging electricity markets into a single European electricity market is a powerful tool for improving market liquidity, ensuring grid stability, integrating renewable energy sources, increasing transparency and competition, all of which will benefit consumers and the economy and all market participants, as a more dynamic and efficient electricity market is being created,” Enuz added.

Alongside Enuz, the document was signed by Simon Shutinovski, chief executive officer of North Macedonia’s National Electricity Market Operator (MEMO), Marko Bislimovski, president of the Energy and Water Services Regulatory Commission (RKE) of North Macedonia, and representatives of transmission operators, electricity exchanges and regulatory bodies from Albania, Kosovo* and Greece.

The meeting was organized by the United States National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), the US Energy Association (USEA) and RTI International, with the support of the Hellenic Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste and Water (RAEWW). The US Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored the event.

The integration process will be based on the model of coupling Greece’s electricity markets with Italy and Bulgaria, RAEWW said.

North Macedonia’s day-ahead market was lunched earlier this year

North Macedonia’s MEMO rolled out its day-ahead market in May this year, following the launch of day-ahead markets by the Albanian Power Exchange, ALPEX, and the Montenegrin Power Exchange – MEPX or BELEN.

Serbia’s SEEPEX has a day-ahead market as well, but it also launched an intraday trading platform in July this year, rounding off the country’s organized electricity market.